Gathering Echoes
by Maria Lynette
Summary: The terror of Voldemort may be over, but a centuries-old struggle for absolute power still thrives below the surface of wizarding Britain while Lucius waits for Hermione to join him against their ancient enemy.EWE!**Featured Story, July 2013 @ The Petulant Poetess**
1. Prologue

Gathering Echoes

Prologue: A History

Muggle legends often stem from wizarding history, and the creation of a sacred and powerful object never fails to produce catastrophic conflict capable of transcending cultures, worlds, and time.

The gift of magic was first presented to humans before the dawn of recorded history at Glastonbury Tor by an ancient race of elves possessing unfathomable strength and abilities until their magic was weakened by human treachery. The Tor housed a sacred temple in which mankind kept a powerful object, which symbolized their brotherhood with the fair folk. It was a beautiful goblet forged from the precious metals once indigenous to the Tor. One needed only to drink from the enchanted cup in order to receive the priceless gift.

It was the fault of the elves' pure nature that they trusted their allies so implicitly, and they inadvertently put themselves and the entire world in immeasurable danger. As the elves had bound their powers to the golden bauble, the humans agreed to keep it under protection in the temple.

While the precious beings would still possess magic if the cup were to disappear, they would undergo a gradual transformation into mortal slaves as their magic began to be used for dishonest purposes. The cup's magic would be forever altered, and the human race would be bitterly divided for all time. Breaking the magical bond between the humans, the cup, and the elves held consequences that could not be reversed once set into motion.

Elvish custom encouraged the sharing of magic with any pilgrim willing to receive the gift by traveling to the temple and drinking, but the newly formed nation of wizards grew greedy and selfish. They wanted to use their magic to give only themselves power and prestige beyond that of ordinary men. Their hearts hardened with the need to lord their gifts over their fellow creatures.

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Israelite Muggles uncovered the goblet centuries after it was stolen from Glastonbury Tor. It became known as the Holy Grail after an infamous rabbi from Nazareth was able to recognize, harness, and use its remaining powers in the name of the Hebrew God. As a boy, he and his brothers found it buried in the desert exactly where those ancient thieves from the west had finally met their mysterious demise at the hands of a cruel, arid climate and a golden talisman that had turned from a blessing into a curse.

Young Joshua told his skeptical brothers that God had told him where to dig for the treasure. He informed them that it was meant to help him heal both the bodies and the souls of mankind. Fearing for their lives and the boy's reputation, his family packed it away in the same chest with the three luxuries that he had received on the night of his miraculous birth.

Responsibility for the Grail was passed from James the Just to Joseph of Arimathea shortly after the Christ's crucifixion because James realized that Joseph's political power and wealth were needed in order to keep the relic safe during dark times.

As righteous men, Joseph and his accomplice, Nicodemus, could sense that the goblet did not belong in the Judean desert. As wizards, its magic called to them and guided them to organize an expedition to bring it back to its birthplace somewhere in the west. Their core desire was to pluck it out of the hands of Muggles because they considered them all a threat. After all, Muggles had killed one of their own for using powers that they did not understand.

Joseph and his crew knew not where their journey would take them. Waiting until after the next year's Passover, they looked to the stars for guidance. The end of their travels came during a harsh winter spent trekking the unfamiliar island home of the Britons. Standing on a hill, the pilgrims witnessed a shower of heavenly lights during the Winter Solstice, and they knew to travel no further. Joseph built a small monument upon the Tor and stowed the Grail deep within it, keeping it hidden for the next several centuries.

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The great schism between wizards and Muggles intensified with the resurfacing of the notorious vessel during a beloved king's quest to gather the best warriors from around his kingdom to become knights in his visionary new government. The Early Middle Ages were volatile and dark times, but the cup was once again in the capable hands of a worthy soul.

King Arthur founded Avalon on the very hill in which he unearthed the Grail. At the time, it was a steep, green island with prominent plateaus, presiding like a noble protector over the surrounding fenland. Not only was the location bizarrely beautiful, but also building a gated city in such a strategic location ensured the best security for Arthur, his people, and their wealth.

Merlin was known for his cunning, intelligent mind and his thirst for wealth and power, which was why it didn't surprise anyone that he quickly attached himself to the Muggle king. In that particular era, Muggles held most of the world's riches and influence. The wizarding world was not yet a secret. Some Muggles respected magic, but others only feared it. Arthur believed that it was wise to feel both respect and fear for the unexplained phenomenon. He knew that it was better to keep a sorcerer as a friend than to count one among his enemies. Merlin fast became Arthur's most trusted advisor.

Merlin was the first to recognize the king's sword for what it really was. Excalibur had the precision and polish of goblin-made steel. When the wizard asked Arthur where he had found a blade of such unparalleled quality, the king replied that he had received it from a beautiful and ethereal lady on the foggy shore of a nearby lake. It amazed Merlin that the other Muggles believed such a sensational story from their king, but he couldn't deny that it worked to assure the king's subjects that their noble monarch was chosen to lead by divine rite.

The real story of how Arthur came to possess the sword was much less spectacular. It was a gift from his witch mistress, Nimue. When she discovered that she was not the only sorcerer vying for the king's attention, she began a vicious campaign to gain the older wizard's trust. She soon convinced him to teach her how to perform his legendary magic.

Merlin already had one apprentice, Morgana. In fact, she was more of a faithful disciple than an apprentice. Morgana could literally see Nimue's deceit dripping from her false and provocative features like poison, but her master was blind to the other woman's true intentions. The man that she loved and respected wouldn't listen to her solemn pleas for his understanding. She felt physically ill the morning that she saw Nimue fleeing from his bed in the darkest of hours. She immediately knew that they were in danger of losing everything that they had worked for and more.

Some wizards thought it a disgrace that those Muggles responsible for the burning of witches would openly seek a magical chalice forged from the same power that lived within the feared magical population. Listening to the protests of his people against the current owner of the goblet, Merlin attempted to destroy it. He believed that completely removing the source of the argument from the equation was the best solution.

Nimue pretended to comply with Merlin's wishes when all she really desired was control over Arthur and his kingdom. The young witch despised her Muggle lover and bided her time until she could destroy him. She had given him the sword, and she was determined to keep the cup within his possession. As she, Morgana, and Merlin soon realized, she needn't have worried about the cup's destruction.

It was impossible to destroy. Even when Merlin reduced it to golden dust, it was only a matter of time before the unharmed cup appeared in the very same spot where Joseph of Arimathea had been called to place it centuries before.

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Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor were Merlin's two most powerful friends, so when the power struggle between him and Nimue finally exploded into open hostilities, he went to them for help.

Merlin had more in common with his old friend, Salazar Slytherin, but Salazar's personality was too volatile. The separation of Muggle and wizard societies was an issue that Salazar had been backing for years. While Merlin did not oppose the idea, his friend's outspoken and violent way of attaining his goal did not sit well with him. He wished for the cup's guardian to be someone without ambition or cruelty. Helga was perfect for the task, and Godric's chivalrous nature would ensure his cooperation to keep her safe should she need help protecting the cup.

Helga agreed to take the cup and disguise it as her own, adding her own symbols and protections to it. The cup's magic recognized her noble intentions and empowered the loving and loyal witch. Merlin beseeched her to keep the valuable item hidden within her bloodline, which she did.

Merlin took Arthur's sword to Godric and warned him of his belief that Nimue had acquired it through dishonest means. Gryffindor was presented with the sword, which he promptly renamed the Sword of Gryffindor after paying a handsome fee to the goblins for the privilege of wielding it. The grateful goblins were inclined to acquiesce to his request, as they had previously believed the stolen sword to be lost forever.

Helga and Godric never saw Merlin or his young apprentices again, but every wizard and witch in the kingdom could sense the dangerous dark magic looming over the prosperous Castle of Avalon like a tempest preparing to rampage. The future Hogwarts founders knew that the treasures entrusted to their care must continue to be protected even as the world fell into a period of peace. The continued absence of their friend was proof enough that they were only experiencing a calm age between storms.

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The second reign of Lord Voldemort had come to an abrupt and bloody end two years ago, and wizarding Britain was finally returning to its former glory. Peace and prosperity embraced every business and household from Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade and every wizarding community in between. Most witches and wizards were too content with their regained happiness and freedom to notice the undercurrent of darkness still pulsing below the surface of their new world. Knockturn Alley was dead, but the dark arts would always live.

The dark arts were the main concern of the young witch slowly climbing her way to the apex of Glastonbury Tor in the crystallized dead of winter. Her ancient soul knew that the destroyed Horcrux would reappear pristine and original on the very hill where it had been created. She and the other ancients were the only people aware of the cup's entire history. The only mystery was why the cup's magic had allowed such a dark wizard to tamper with it. Maybe using it in such a way had been the true reason for his downfall. There was likely no way to know for sure, but she would never stop looking for answers.

Taking great care to conceal her presence, she pulled the borrowed invisibility cloak tighter around her slender frame as the wild wind threatened to rip the heavy garment from her shoulders. She was uncertain of the others' memories and intentions, but they had been too straight-faced lately for her comfort. She suspected that they were all once again consciously playing the old high stakes game of guile and stealth from which she would eventually emerge victorious. After all, she had survived the last round with more ammunition than her opponent.

Reaching her desired destination, she realized that the area contained no surviving monument or tomb for housing the goblet. She glanced around, making sure that she was alone before removing her wand and blasting through the frozen surface of the soil. The ground was freezing, but she had no choice but to drop to her knees and dig with her bare hands. She'd not risk hitting the powerful object with an offensive spell.

It took almost an hour for her to uncover the golden chalice from its native earth, but the witch's triumph was worth every second spent toiling in the deadly weather. She carefully wrapped the treasure in a blanket and slipped it into her satchel. Sensing that she was still alone on the hill, she promptly Apparated back to her warm home and her loving husband.


	2. Chapter 1: Lucius' Twentieth Birthday

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 1: Lucius' Twentieth Birthday

"While the cat is away, the mouse will play" had since the beginning of time been an apt idiom applicable to all teenagers still living in their parents' homes whether they were Muggle, magical, pureblood or Muggle-born. The only difference was that the rich could afford better parties, but wealthy pureblood teen, Lucius Malfoy, and his crew of debutantes and dandies threw all-night soirees at Malfoy Manor so decadent that they made the Moulin Rouge look like a Buddhist temple by comparison. Every euphoric herb or potion was available, and the estate's vast wine cellar was always well stocked. Some gathered in secluded corners to dabble in the dark arts while others crept into the shadows to perform naughty deeds. Half-bloods and Muggle-borns with enough talent to impress the affluent youths mingled with the other guests while entertaining them with various forms of art or wit. Everyone was high on their drug of choice, never noticing the absence of their preoccupied host.

Lucius made himself comfortable in his father's study, helping himself to the fine assortment of amber beverages available and half-heartedly rummaging through the contents of Abraxas' mahogany desk. He was too distracted to really care about what he might find. Errant thoughts and memories of a mysterious sort had been invading his mind all day. They were images of a life once lived and voices too familiar to ignore. He should have thought it impossible that it had been his own previous life fragmented in his mind's eye, but it surprised him that he accepted it without question. It was like a Gringotts vault in his mind that had always been present and locked, but now it was suddenly opening to reveal treasures that he had always known to be there, but that he had never seen first-hand.

After receiving the vague revelations for the better part of a day, Lucius still wasn't sure what it all meant, but he was certain of one thing; he would never be the man that his upbringing had prepared him to be. As the name "Merlin" echoed through his mind, he poured another glass of scotch with which to drown his apprehension. The sound of a door closing alerted him to another presence in the room. With a heavy sigh, he glanced at the door.

Andromeda Black relinquished her grip on the crystal doorknob and swayed slightly before walking slowly into Lucius' waiting arms. Even though she displayed the swagger of intoxication, she was still light and graceful on her feet. She collapsed into him, sitting on his lap before taking a flask from a garter underneath her robes and drinking deeply from it.

The pout on her lips and the longing in her eyes were what first alerted Lucius that something was amiss, but when he realized the extent of her indulgence in the drink, he became truly worried.

"Andromeda?"

She rested her head on his shoulder and whispered, "Lucius."

He brought his hands to her shoulders, lifted her body away from him, and looked into her faded eyes. "You never get this smashed. What is wrong with you?"

"We're going to be married soon, Lucius, and . . . and I—I want to please you. We need to truly _know _each other first."

She rubbed his chest vigorously, and he took a deep breath in order to maintain control of his building arousal. He loosened his hold on her, and she melted against his chest once again.

"Andromeda?"

She brought her lips to his neck and sucked at the sensitive skin there.

"Andromeda, stop! What are you doing?"

She whined, "Why do you push me away? Do you not want me? Surely you know that I love you, Lucius. You are like a big brother to me."

With a weak, exasperated laugh, he explained, "Exactly right, you silly girl. You have always been like family to me. We cannot do this . . ."

"But we must do it, Lucius. Don't you see? It must happen eventually, so why not tonight while it's on our own terms?"

She continued her exploration of his chest and neck, and he closed his heavy eyelids and enjoyed the feel of his future wife touching his body. He was beginning to grow sluggish and numb from the drink, and he needed to feel her more. He coaxed her willing hands into rub him harder, and she straddled him while unbuttoning his crisp white shirt and pushing it off of his broad shoulders.

His eyes were still closed, and his head was still resting against the back of the chair when he heard her gasp of horror and a dull thud as she fell gracelessly onto the stone floor. His head snapped up just in time to see her scurry away from him on her hands and knees before finally finding the ability to stand. Her accusation was silent as she raised a trembling hand and pointed one well-manicured finger at the angry Dark Mark that was still freshly seared onto Lucius' forearm.

Lucius looked ashamed as he put on his shirt and quickly buttoned it all of the way up to the neck. He didn't look at her when he spoke. "I am twenty years old today, Andromeda. Did you honestly believe that I hadn't been initiated yet? Some are receiving their Marks as soon as they leave Hogwarts."

She started to cry softly. "I thought you were different."

Lucius thought back over the events of the day with a forlorn look on his face. He had received the Mark only a week ago. If he had known then that his life would change so drastically on his twentieth birthday, he would not have accepted his father's dark legacy so quickly.

"I am different. I'm more different than you will ever know." He had a detached, dreamy look in his eyes.

"Then why?"

He grew irritated with her because of her demure demeanor and pretended naiveté. "Surely you know why. You are of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. Your father is a Death Eater. He also promised the Dark Lord the service of one of his children."

"Bella believes in the Dark Lord, Lucius. You do not . . . Do you?" Her voice pleaded with him.

"You know me better than anyone. That has not changed. As purebloods, we are better, Andromeda, but I've never wanted the kind of destruction and hate that the Dark Lord creates. You know that."

"What about Ted? You once told me that you like him."

Lucius poured himself another drink and gestured for Andromeda to be seated, but she refused by shaking her head and standing stubbornly in place.

He thought a moment and answered, "Ted is a good friend to you, but he isn't a proper wizard. Nothing can change that. I'll never be able to treat him as a friend in public. He must be my enemy."

"I'm in love with him, Lucius."

Lucius did not look at all surprised. He merely looked up at her as she continued speaking.

"I'm going to tell our parents. There is no way that they will allow you and I to marry when they find out that I've already given myself to a Muggle-born."

Lucius stood and paced in front of the desk. He was really getting upset, and the volume and intensity of his voice reflected that. "Don't be stupid. You came in here tonight with the intention of consummating our relationship and accepting our marriage. You can't leave me just because I've done what you've always known that I would eventually do! He isn't good enough for you, Andromeda. You will lose everything for choosing him. You will have no family, no fortune, and you will not have me."

The love that Lucius felt for his friend was evident in his caring expression, but he also looked defeated as he tried to reason with her. He placed his glass on the desk and crossed the distance to Andromeda. He cupped her face with his hands and whispered, "Don't leave me. Your friendship is the only good thing in my life right now."

Removing his hands from her face, she kissed them before letting go. "I'm going to miss you, Lucius."

Lucius was powerless to stop her as she turned and walked out of his life. He couldn't find the strength to go back to his guests. Narcissa would surely continue her unwelcome attentions towards him if he did return to the party, and he couldn't handle another Black sister at the moment. Settling back into his father's armchair, he let the ancient memories of his former life take charge of his senses.

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_He awoke chained to a great rock inside of a damp cave. The crude metal sconces attached to the walls of stone cast uneven patches of light and shadow about the jagged, open chamber. Inhaling the pungent scent of old decay and seeing bones in the recesses of the walls, he realized that he was inside of a tomb. _

_A tall, willowy woman appeared through a dark passage. She drew a jeweled dagger, and he flinched as she brought it closer to his face. She never spoke to him as she cut a tuft of hair out of his beard and sheathed the dagger. It looked familiar to him as it dangled by a green sash tied around her narrow waist, and he realized that she had stolen it from him as she had stolen so many treasures from others. _

_A cauldron bubbled nearby, and he could see his own book of magic open beside it. He could clearly see the pages she was reading, and it frightened him. It wasn't a potion cooking in the cauldron. She was preparing a dangerous memory ritual. He feared the worst when he saw spare bits of phoenix feathers, rosemary, and ginger littering a stone slab by her side. They were all ingredients used in the book's reincarnation rite, which was even darker than the memory manipulation she was attempting before his eyes. He could smell lovage and peppermint, and he watched as she added unicorn horn to the mix. _

"_Nimue, what have you done?" _

_She turned to him with a bitter smile. "Merlin, my love! How lovely of you to join me. I'm not doing anything that will hurt you. I'm just making sure that you and your little slave won't remember anything if you foolishly choose to follow me into the next life. However, I'm afraid you might die in here before anyone finds you. I can't afford to untie you and have you following after me."_

"_I'm sure that I still don't follow you. Reincarnation is very dangerous. If done improperly, you could come back as an animal. You could even trap yourself in limbo. The future is too uncertain to guarantee your soul's safety. It is an incredibly risky ritual." _

_She interrupted him. "But I am a powerful enough sorcerer, Merlin. You have taught me well. I will come back as myself, and unlike you, I will have my memories."_

_She dropped his platinum-colored hair into the cauldron before removing a long lock of curly brown hair from her purse. "I took this from precious Morgana while she was still asleep this morning. That silly elf of hers told her that I had stolen your book. My handmaid warned me that she was on her way to find you, but I found you first." Her voice dripped with false concern when she added, "I wonder if she will ever be able to find this place in time to rescue your body before the rats nibble every last bit of flesh from your bones." _

"_What makes you think that Morgana or I would follow you? There are too many variables involved. Why would I risk myself and my _loyal_ apprentice?"_

_Nimue's expression turned sour. "I am not a fool, old man. You would do anything to keep me away from the Grail. You would do anything to keep me away from all of the power that will be mine. I know your secrets, and I know the ancient magic. That cup will one day make its way back to Avalon, and I will be the only person alive with the knowledge of what it is and what it can do. I know you would follow me to keep that from happening as you have gone to great lengths to hide it and the sword from me. Now you needn't bother because I have made sure that your memories will die with your body . . . Morgana's, too." _

_Nimue finished the ritual. Before leaving, she leaned into him and kissed his forehead. Her soft red hair caressed his cheek as she drew back and looked him in the eye. "Goodbye, lover." _

_She took the book with her and extinguished the sconces as she escaped through the narrow passage. Alone in the dark, he thought of how foolish he had been to allow a young woman to ensnare him in such a way. His devoted Morgana had been right all along, but he had insulted her and called her insolent when she chose to bravely warn her master of his mistake. _

_He didn't know how long he had been languishing in his dark prison since Nimue's departure, but he assumed that it had been hours ago when he had finally decided that Morgana wasn't coming. He began to feel that he didn't deserve to be rescued by a woman so innocent and selfless as the apprentice that he had forsaken as soon as he had invited that devil child into his bed. He looked to his left when a soft light suddenly appeared. _

_The light grew and lit the passage. It wasn't long before Morgana stepped into the chamber, bringing the full brightness of the light with her. He could not see her properly at first. His eyes watered, and he squinted in pain from being in complete darkness for so long. He could see her silhouette standing before him bathed in the light, and he sensed that she was proceeding with extra caution and checking the chamber for enchantments. _

"_Master? Are you hurt?" _

_His eyes finally adjusted, and standing before him was the most beautiful sight that he had ever seen. She wasn't a seductress. She didn't carry herself as such, which was why it had always been easy to overlook her natural beauty. The only reason he noticed it at that moment was because she was his savior. Blood and sweat soaked her thin garment, and it clung to her petite body. Her hair was a mass of wild brown curls, and her skin was aglow from physical exertion. _

_She knelt in front of him and freed him from the rock. There was nothing but admiration for him in her manner when she turned to him and said, "I had to kill her, but I have to book. I'm sorry that it took me so long to find you, Master." _

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Lucius awoke to dawn's light slipping through the heavy drapes in the study. He knew that his guests would keep to their rooms for a few more hours until the house-elves served breakfast. Breakfast was always served late after such a celebration as half of his guests would be nursing hangovers while the other half of them would still be entertaining company in their beds.

His own hangover was monstrous, and his back ached from sleeping in the chair. He called for a potion and Summoned his coat. He had an important trip to make before he could begin entertaining guests.

As he Apparated to an open area not far from Stonehenge, he thought for the first time about being born to his new life in Wiltshire. He suddenly thought it possible that the magic of the place was calling out to his soul as he had hidden his book of magic among the sacred stones. A thousand years ago he had known that the ancient site would likely survive longer than any other place in Britain because it had already survived thousands of years before he and King Arthur had discovered its healing powers.

The sunlight was still low in the morning sky, which cast a dull tint onto the quaint countryside. As Lucius approached the formation, he took a moment to appreciate the majesty of the colossal stones arranged on the grass like a group of lounging giants. He walked directly to the correct stone, removed his glove, and placed his palm on the cool surface. The stiffness in his back faded away, and he smiled to himself. Withdrawing his wand, he recited a special revealing charm. A small compartment appeared where there had been only solid stone before. Lucius reached inside and pulled out the ancient book of magic.

He allowed himself to savor the feel and smell of it for a few blissful moments before he threw it on the ground, pointed his wand at it, and shouted, "_Incendio_!"

Watching the book burn, he knew that the Dark Lord would never discover a written record of the world's most powerful magic because of him. He could only hope that his complete knowledge of what the book contained would eventually return to him.

HG**LM

**A/N: I hate to say this, but reviews feed my muse. I can't help it if I am more motivated to update when I see more reviews. That's just the reality of it, so send me your love. **


	3. Chapter 2: 19 September 1979

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 2: 19 September 1979

Hermione Jean Granger was an overachiever from the moment that she entered the world a month early on an otherwise uneventful Wednesday night. Every mother believes her child to be special, but Mrs. Granger knew right from the beginning that her daughter was different. As soon as the nurse placed the baby in her arms, she was drawn to her little girl's bright eyes. There was awareness in them that should not be present in a newborn. The child seemed cognizant of her surroundings and at perfect peace with the people around her.

Their ride to the hospital had been tumultuous and disorganized, but the ride home was calm and orderly. Mrs. Granger felt safe. She suddenly knew that everything was going to be okay now that she had her daughter with her. The weather was mild and the streets were quiet. The baby had yet to cry.

When Hermione finally did cry, it seemed to make all of the lights in the house grow a bit brighter. Mr. Granger spent the entire night inspecting their home's electrical wiring, but his wife knew in her heart that there was nothing wrong with the house. She knew that it would sound insane if she tried to explain it to her husband, but she also knew that she could actually sense her daughter's energy. It pulsed through her body like a warm heartbeat when her child was content, and it washed over her like cold water when her child was in need. She briefly wondered if all new mothers felt such a connection to their children before dismissing the notion as ridiculous. She would have surely read about it somewhere if that were true.

Mrs. Ganger smiled into the darkness as she rocked her new daughter to sleep. She really was a special baby.

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_Merlin awoke to the melodious sound of Morgana humming a cheerful tune while steadily stirring a steaming cauldron. He shivered at the thought of how similar the scene looked to the one that had greeted him upon regaining consciousness in the cave with Nimue the day before. He relaxed. He was not in a cave, and the woman in front of him was not Nimue. _

_There was a gentle smile of contentment on her clean face, and her faraway eyes indicated to him that she was lost in the comfort of her own thoughts. She had obviously bathed since leaving the tomb with him. Gone were her soiled and bloody garments, and in their place was a simple linen shift. Her braided hair was still wet, and its dampness had saturated the thin material covering her backside. _

_The pads of Morgana's feet were heard pattering across the hard floor as she ran to the corner of the room and put on her slippers. It wasn't until then that Merlin noticed the absence of shoes upon her callused feet. He smiled when he realized that she must have sensed him stirring on the nearby bed and sought to cover her feet before being discovered breaking his rules. At times, she was still so childlike and predictable. He had often scolded her for not wearing slippers in his home. He had always told her that she needed to wear them to prevent sickness due to the drafty corridors and the cold stone floors, but in reality, the home was generally quite warm. A fire as bright as the sun burned in his bedchamber's oversized hearth, and his staff of house-elves kept the entire manor as warm as midday in August. He would never tell her that his true reason for discouraging her bare feet was that he didn't want her to develop the hard hands and feat of a peasant. He sighed at the thought that she at least took care of her beautiful hands. _

_Morgana chanced a fleeting glance at Merlin before continuing to add ingredients to the cauldron, pretending not to notice his grey eyes studying her intently. She chanted the names of each item to herself as she tossed scarabs, pomegranate juice, and runespoor eggs into the bubbling brew. She didn't even open the book at her side as she did so because she had a natural talent for memorization, and books were her dearest hobby. She'd read every book in Merlin's library, and she'd read his most precious book of magic countless times over the years. _

_Merlin finally broke the silence when he realized that his apprentice was using his most rare and potent magical ingredients. "Are you making a memory potion?" _

_She turned to him slowly as she was a bit nervous. "Yes, master. Before you fell asleep, you told me that Nimue's ritual included the binding of our memories to our current bodies. I've found a way to undo her magic, but . . ." _

_He raised himself onto his elbows and encouraged her to continue. "But?" _

"_I'm using your memory potion and infusing it with a charm that I found in one of your Greek scrolls. The result should be somewhat successful, but there is a chance that the memories will return to us later than desired in our next lives depending on how long it takes us to reincarnate." _

_There was a question in her eyes, and he answered, "Fate and time cannot be manipulated easily, Morgana, but I can tell you with a fair amount of certainty that we will not be reborn to this world within a century of our deaths. The magic would not allow it." _

"_Why?" she asked. _

"_We would be easily recognized by our own grandchildren. It will likely take hundreds of years to be reborn to our own distant bloodlines. Nature and magic have an uncanny way of working things to their advantage. We'll most likely reenter a world that is unbalanced, and Nimue will most likely be there to intercept us." _

_She nodded in understanding. "Yes, I suppose we won't be needed until Nimue appears with all of her dangerous knowledge of your magic, or until the cup is once again in the wrong hands." _

_She started to busy herself with the preparations, but he could see that she was frightened. "Do not worry for an uncertain future, my dear, for our future was always uncertain in nature. There has been no change." _

_She stopped fidgeting with the salamander blood vials and walked over to the bed. "You haven't yet bathed. I've prepared you a bath. The water should still be quite warm." She ran her hands over the soiled and matted hair of his beard and head. "She's ruined your beard. It's time for a trim in any case. After you've had a bath, I'll fix it for you." _

_After spending ample time cleansing the remnants of Nimue and what she did to him from his body, Merlin returned to sit in front of his bed with only a cloth wrapped around his waist. He sat patiently in a wooden chair and waited for his apprentice to attend to his grooming. _

_Morgana had become aware of her master as a man not long after the nature of his relationship with Nimue became obvious to her, but she always tried desperately to keep her changing feelings for him under control. She dared not look at him as he sat there with his damp and naked body almost glowing in the firelight. Even though he was quite a bit older than her, he still appeared to her as a fit, virile, and imposing male figure. _

_Grasping his comb and a blade, she approached him with as much confidence as she could muster and began trimming his beard. She paused for a moment when she noticed that his eyes appeared to be looking at her breasts, but she quickly dismissed her lascivious thoughts as ridiculous, deciding that his viewing choices were somewhat limited when her chest was clearly very close to his face while she worked. _

_Her cheeks colored nonetheless, and he noticed the change in her breathing. He didn't even try to fight the feeling when it came. Forgetting that a small bit of cloth provided the only separation between his manhood and his young apprentice, he let himself become lost in the gentle rise and fall of her voluptuous chest underneath her thin garment. He didn't even notice when the cloth over his lap fell aside, revealing his obvious arousal. _

_Morgana abruptly dropped the tools in her hands and turned away from him, breathing even heavier than before. She had worked so hard to conceal her feelings for him, but now she was sure that he was also attracted to her. That changed everything. She knew that she should be happy with the discovery, but she was more nervous than she had ever been in her life. She'd never known a man, and she couldn't think clearly. _

_Thinking that he had upset her with unwelcome attention, Merlin said, "Forgive me. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, not after so many years of living together in peace, not now that we need each other more than ever."_

_Morgana's parents had left her to his care when she was only a girl. They were poor and had nothing to offer a truly pure and gifted sorceress. Merlin, who had always lived a somewhat isolated life since the death of his own master, had been looking for an apprentice worthy of his secrets and powers. The girl quickly grew to take care of him as much as he took care of her. She never let the house-elves touch his personal belongings. She preferred to mend his robes, prepare his meals, and even cut his hair. Until recently, they had fulfilled very specific roles for one another. _

_She gathered her courage and turned to him. "I am not offended in the least, but surely you know that I have not yet known a man's touch." She took small and hesitant steps back to his side. _

"_Do you want me to touch you, Morgana?" _

"_I want it more than anything, master." _

_Merlin was at a loss of words as his intelligent, chaste, and beautiful savior stood before him with such a striking confession. He started to slide his hand underneath her gown, but he suddenly withdrew it and whispered, "In good faith, I cannot . . . I do not wish there to be any question of my power over you between being your lover and your teacher." His hungry eyes met hers. "Will you touch me first?" _

_She fell to her knees in front of his chair and ran an unsure hand up his thigh. His sharp intake of breath was her only indication of his pleasure, but it encouraged her to continue her exploration of his body by carefully caressing his manhood in tense fascination. "Tell me how to bring you pleasure."_

_He groaned and ran his fingers through her hair. "You already are, my love. I will soon teach you more, but not before I have given pleasure to you." _

_He lifted her into his lap and finally slipped his fingers deep into the warmth between her thighs. She moaned as her head rolled back onto his shoulder. As she came undone in his arms, he brought his lips so close to hers that she ached for the soft contact of a simple kiss. His breath teasing her lips was torture to her as he whispered, "Maiden's blood will make the potion a thousand times more potent." _

_Understanding the meaning of his words, she said, "I—I want you to make me yours. I honestly do, but first . . . I need you to kiss me." _

HG **LM

Lucius could no longer hear the screams of their dying Muggle and blood traitor captives as he and several other young Death Eaters stood together in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor. He was once again thinking of _her_. His former apprentice and lover had been plaguing his thoughts all day, but the memory that he had been reliving only seconds before was different. It was vivid, potent—erotic. It was as if he could actually remember the silky tightness of her as he stood there in a trance. The image of Morgana with her head thrown back in pleasure still lingered on the edge of his mind when he finally became aware of his erratic breathing and his inattention to the bound and bleeding girl in chains before him.

The air was stale, hot, and putrid within the walls of dark stone that were now glistening with moisture. Choosing to avoid tainting their fine shirts and robes with inferior blood, every man in the room wore only their trousers and boots. Their Dark Marks and youthful bare chests were proudly displayed amid their brethren. Lucius stood with Severus on the edge of the crowd. Together they always kept a low profile and only participated in the violence at the Dark Lord's request.

Lucius forced himself to focus as Severus turned to him with a handkerchief and questioning eyes. He accepted the cloth, wiped his soaking brow, and fought to regain his composure. He then looked back at Severus, intending to thank him. The words died on Lucius' lips as he noticed the other man's intense, dark eyes glance about his body before locking his own eyes in a probing gaze. Lucius realized too late that the physical signs of his arousal were apparent to Severus. His breathing and profuse perspiration paired with the tightness of his trousers seemed to indicate to his friend that he was enjoying the sight of Rodolphus torturing some whimpering blood traitor a bit too much.

He quickly turned his eyes away from Severus. He'd rather have his fellow Death Eater think him a perverted lunatic than take a chance on the sneaky Legilimens seeing the true cause of his flustered state before he could put his mind in proper order.

It was midnight. Lucius needed to pay a visit to St. Mungo's. He knew that the number of years, months, and days that had passed since his rebirth indicated that Morgana's rebirth should have happened sometime during the night. He had been looking for an excuse to leave for hours, but he had none.

Lucius occluded his mind and turned back to Severus. "I need to leave for an hour. If anyone of consequence asks, tell them that Narcissa is ill, and that I went to check on her."

Severus tried to enter Lucius' mind as he had done only moments before, but he found nothing. He asked, "We both know that your wife is fine, so why should I lie for you?"

Lucius made the long overdue decision that he was tired of skirting delicate issues with Severus. Unknown to everyone else, they were the two most powerful wizards in the Dark Lord's regime. They worked well together, but they were also extremely suspicious of each other. As a Slytherin, Lucius would never reveal his hand to Severus, but they needed to come to some sort of understanding quickly.

Lucius pulled Severus into a corner and softly said, "We've wasted too much time over the last few years questioning each other, my friend. I am asking a small favor of you. I am not asking you to go against our master's wishes, nor would I ever. I'm simply asking you to help me as I would help you. Rodolphus does not need my help gathering information from these blood traitors. I shouldn't be missed."

Severus thought for a moment and replied, "Who is she?"

"She?"

"Yes, Lucius. Who is the woman with the wild brown hair? I saw a glimpse of her when I looked at you a moment ago." Severus' tone suggested that he was somehow disappointed in Lucius for taking a supposed mistress.

Lucius' tone grew a bit prickly. "I think we both know that you are fucking my wife, Severus, so don't pretend to be offended on her behalf. As long as you continue to be cautious and discreet until she produces my heir, I don't care what the two of you do, but you will stay out of my affairs." He paused and brought his mouth as close to Severus' ear as possible before quietly explaining, "You have everyone else fooled except for me. I alone know how skilled you are in Legilimency, not to mention your formidable skills in every other magical discipline. You could hide anything from the Dark Lord, and he wouldn't know unless he specifically went looking for it."

Severus interrupted, "I am loyal to the Dark Lord."

Lucius sneered. "Of course you are. As am I . . . But he is suspicious of those he cannot read. He thinks that he can read you just as he thinks that he can read me. He underestimates our power because we wisely hide it from him. Let's keep it that way, shall we?"

Lucius extended his hand to Severus and added, "You'd rather have me as an ally than as an enemy, I promise you that."

Severus finally took Lucius' hand and gave it a brief and firm shake before watching the older man slip silently from the room.

Lucius appeared moments later at the hospital's maternity ward and promptly ascertained that there had only been two magical births that night, and they were both boys. He paced up and down the corridor trying to determine if he knew of any ancient pureblood families that had been expecting a daughter within the week. Some of the older families preferred their children to be born at home, but he was positive that none of them had been expecting a girl recently. He had been anticipating her arrival for five years, and he knew with all of his soul that she was out there somewhere. His intuition told him that she had to be in England with distant blood relatives. But that didn't explain why he couldn't find her at the only Wizarding hospital in Britain.

He paused at a window, looked out across the rooftops of London, and breathed, "Where are you, Morgana?"


	4. Chapter 3: A Born Sinner

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 3: A Born Sinner

Ginny lounged on the fresh, cool grass in her mother's garden while lazily tossing Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans to the growing group of gnomes at her feet. As they gathered around for more, a satisfied smile graced the little girl's lips. She thought of how easy it was to manipulate her fat cow of a mother into getting what she wanted. Ginny had been outwitting better witches and wizards since centuries before Molly was even born, so there was no way that she would simply accept the old woman's refusal to take her on such an important trip.

Ron sauntered out of the house and sat next to his moping sister before saying, "If you think attracting garden gnomes is going to get Mum to change her mind about letting you go with us to London tomorrow, you're more mental than I thought."

"Don't be stupid, Ron. Dad says that you're good at strategy, but I don't see it." She spared him an indignant glare before returning to her mischievous task. "By the time Mum gets home, the evidence of my interference will be in the gnomes' bellies. All I have to do is offer to de-gnome the garden for her."

Ron looked thoughtful. "Do you think that would work for me?"

"No, you'd do something to bollocks it up, just like last time. I don't need you bringing any more of my little tricks to the attention of Mum and Dad until I'm at least old enough to get my first wand. Things will be different then." Her last comment carried with it a foreboding tone.

Ron patted his little sister on the head and turned to leave the garden. "You are almost scary sometimes, Ginny."

"Almost?"

He looked over his shoulder and yelled, "In my world, spiders are scary, and you are almost scary."

She giggled in spite of herself.

It was going to be Ron's first year at Hogwarts, and Ginny had spent all summer convincing him of how fortunate he was to be starting Hogwarts with Harry Potter. She had started looking for a way to take her revenge on Merlin and his little apprentice since the day that she had learned to read. About a year ago she had accidentally stumbled across an article while cleaning the attic. Everyone in the Wizarding world had heard of Harry James Potter, but it wasn't until she'd glanced over the date of the stained and tattered issue of _The Daily Prophet_ that she had realized the potential for The Boy Who Lived to make all of her wicked dreams turn into wicked reality.

Harry Potter was her brother's age. His family had been wealthy, and his father had been a Gryffindor. Seducing a boy with obvious power, fame, and wealth could possibly provide her with a means to triumph over her enemies while remedying her problem of being born virtually destitute. Ron's weakness had been easy for her to detect as he was the least accomplished out of all of her brothers. She'd only needed to call attention to the twins' wit, Percy's academic record, Bill's popularity, and Charlie's fascinating career before hinting at how wonderful it would be if Ron were to become friends with a celebrity and finally have a story of his own to tell.

Ginny had been able to tell by the hope in the young man's eyes that she had successfully planted a seed of determination in her brother's mind, and all she needed to do was help it grow. Harry Potter would be at King's Cross, so she would be there, too. She didn't know exactly how, but she'd make sure to push Ron closer to his future friend. With any luck, Harry and Ron would be best mates in time for her first year at school.

HG**LM

_Nimue hovered stealthily about the doorway while Morgana cried over a pile of dirty linens. She spied the older witch suddenly becoming angry and violent to the point of tearing the sheets and cursing. _

_Morgana closed her tired, puffy eyes and slapped her hands over them. She couldn't get the image of Nimue and Merlin out of her mind. She'd seen them together, and Nimue had known that she was there. The vile snake had simply looked at her while riding her master to ecstasy, and Morgana stood powerless, ashamed, and aroused all in one moment. Part of her had wanted to look away, but part of her had needed to see the intimate moment for herself. When the lovers had finished, and Nimue had donned a sly smile of triumph, Morgana had fled the chamber in embarrassment. _

_Trembling with self-disgust, Morgana's breathing was out of control and she sobbed aloud. _

_After finally calming herself enough to resume her chores, she called her beloved house-elf._

"_Pippi!" _

_The little creature popped into the room. "Yes, Miss Morgana?" _

_Morgana dried her face with the back of her hand and said, "Take these linens. I need you mend and wash them."_

_The poor creature looked more than a bit apprehensive. "But you never lets Pippi touch the master's things!" _

_Morgana vented her frustration by screaming, "That is because his things never before smelled like a cheap harlot! Take them now!" _

_The elf squeaked in fear, snatched the pile of laundry, and ran for the door. _

_Morgana's heart sank. She turned towards the door, intending to apologize to Pippi for her harsh words, but the sight of Nimue smirking in the shadows caused her voice to fail out of complete humiliation. _

_Nimue stepped forward with a haughty swagger. "So I'm a cheap harlot?" _

_Morgana's hollow voice answered, "You know that you are. Aren't you supposed to be working like the rest of us?" _

"_You're pathetic. You think yourself better than me because of your chastity, but only worthless, unwanted women make it to your age without sharing a man's bed. I've known for some time that you are jealous of me. The only question on my mind is the reason for your jealousy. Is it because I'm younger, yet more experienced? Is it because I'm prettier? Is it because Merlin listens to me instead of you? I even thought that you might desire him." Nimue shrugged. _

_Nimue let the silence eat away at Morgana's calm façade_ _for a moment before making her point known. _

"_But then I see you here crying over something as simple as his sheets, and I finally understand. You don't simply desire him. You love him." She laughed mirthlessly. "What makes you think that a great man like Merlin would ever bother to take into his bed a plain peasant like you? He'll never love you." _

_Morgana's voice was barely a whisper. "I should have a fair chance. His standards are low enough to entertain cheap whores, so why not a plain peasant girl as well?" _

"_One day he'll be so much under my control that he won't even notice you anymore. He won't be able to see you because his eyes will be drawn to only me. I will take his power, and he will have nothing. Do you understand? When that happens, I'm going to permanently shut that witty little mouth of yours," Nimue snarled before quitting the room._

HG**LM

Ginny couldn't believe her luck. Her brother had managed to become best mates with both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, and she was positive that the latter was really none other than that emotional know-it-all, Morgana. At least she'd be able to keep a close watch on the girl. As she stood with her brother and his friends in Flourish And Blotts with her new schoolbooks, she felt a real sense of accomplishment. Her new life was finally going to begin.

Suddenly noticing a stranger staring at her through the shop window, Ginny boldly glared back at the older wizard in curiosity. He looked almost angry with her, but she was sure that she had never met the man before because his spectacular hair and opulent robes would be extremely difficult to forget.

She was forced to abandon her critique of the stranger when the pompous Malfoy brat started making trouble with Harry, but her blood ran cold when the brat's father intervened. Now that he was closer, she recognized the impenetrable grey eyes of Merlin as they threatened to crush her resolve with their intensity. She stood her ground when he began to insult her family. She clenched her fists in fury.

Her father had spoken ill of Lucius Malfoy for years. The discovery was almost too bizarre to believe. She'd never expected to find her nemesis among the followers of a wizard as dark as Lord Voldemort. It was true that Merlin had been somewhat in favor of blood purity, but enduring the whims of a tyrant was not at all like the Merlin she had known. However, she did remember her father mentioning his close ties to Minister Fudge, which was exactly the kind of company she expected Merlin to keep. He was that close to her the whole time, and she had never before discovered him.

The close attention he paid to her was proof enough that he recognized her, but she fought with all of her will to control her mirth at the discovery that he did not recognize Morgana. He spared the Muggle-born witch only a fleeting glance and a snide comment before shifting his attention back to Ginny.

HG**LM

Lucius was livid, yet he was ecstatic. The little girl in front of him regarded him with knowing eyes while they both pretended ignorance of each other's true identities. They both knew that it was not the time for showing their hands. They played their parts beautifully, analyzing each other without revealing solid proof of their intentions. She was difficult to read, but Lucius could plainly see that she was actively playing the game as she was in the company of Harry Potter. It was a major advantage for her, but her disadvantages were also apparent as he observed her poverty and sneered at her Muggle connections.

As the young girl situated herself protectively in front of Harry Potter, Lucius dreaded the eventual result of the succubus attaching herself to the most loved wizard in Britain. He shuddered to think of the future of their world resting in the hands of another rotten, murdering soul now that the Dark Lord was finally gone.

Remembering that he had a dark artifact of which to dispose, he discreetly placed the diary into her possession. With any luck, he'd be rid of her within the year. He felt a little pang of guilt when he spared the young girl a last glance, but his steadfast mind told him repeatedly that she was no innocent soul as he turned to confront Arthur Weasley.

HG** LM

"Draco, I need you to do something for me, and I don't want you to ask me any questions about what I'm going to ask of you. Do you understand?" Lucius asked as he walked along Knockturn Alley with his son.

"Yes, Father."

"If you hear or see anything out of the ordinary going on at Hogwarts between Miss Weasley and her acquaintances, I need you to immediately write me a letter about it."

Again, Draco dutifully replied, "Yes, Father."

Lucius' voice was tinged with concern when he added, "That girl is dangerous. She is a pureblood, but she is still your enemy. Do not trust her."

Draco looked like he was trying to sort out his father's meaning. "Because she is a blood traitor and talks to Mudbloods?"

Lucius' conscience tingled with a slight desire to correct the boy, but he decided against it. He assumed that he had his lovely wife and sister-in-law to thank for teaching his son those words. It was safer for him to believe a small lie than to learn the truth. "Yes, we do not associate with Muggle-borns and blood traitors."

Draco hesitated and asked, "That's why we disowned Aunt Andromeda, isn't it? She's a filthy blood traitor.

Lucius stopped abruptly, gripped his son by the shoulder, and pulled him close. "Your Aunt Andromeda was far more talented as a witch than your mother and your Aunt Bellatrix combined. You may need to remember that in the future. What happened to her was unfortunate, but she knew the consequences of her decisions before she made them. It is important that you never again ask about her."


	5. Chapter 4: The Diary

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 4: The Diary

Ginny placed her trunk at the foot of the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Hugging a pillow to her chest, she glanced up to see several of the school's owls flying past her window. She quietly chuckled at the thought that Hogwarts hadn't much changed over the last thousand years. There were certainly more Muggle-borns than there had been during Salazar's time, and the dress code had definitely been improved, but the castle itself was still just as magnificent as ever.

She'd heard that Lucius Malfoy was a school governor. Wondering if she'd see him again before the winter holidays, she began unpacking her trunk while images of Merlin flashed across her mind. Merlin had always worn a full beard, so it was difficult to imagine him without it. Lucius' long, tidy hair had also been a surprise because Morgana had never allowed Merlin's hair to reach his shoulders before cutting it. She had to admit to herself that Lucius' simple hairstyle adjustment between his life as Merlin and his new life was a suitable disguise.

Spying a book in her trunk that she did not recognize, she reached between her schoolbooks and ran her finger down the smooth leather spine before lifting it into her lap. As she flipped through the blank pages, she decided that her mother must have bought it for her as a present for starting her first year. She was alone in the room, so she decided to do what any young girl would do and free her mind by committing her troubles to parchment.

_Dear Diary, _

_A thousand years apart has not made Morgana any less insufferable. I've only just arrived here, but I can already see that even Professor Snape can see her for what she really is, so why do the rest of the teachers dote upon her like she's someone special? The only solace I can take from my situation with her is that she was reborn a Mudblood. My pureblood status should prove advantageous, and I can always use her friendship with my brother to keep her under control. Merlin is my only real problem right now. I'm almost positive that he recognized me in the bookstore and that he's already plotting against me. How did he get his memories back? Why doesn't Morgana remember? What if she begins to remember? Fuck! I've got to keep those two apart. _

Her pen stilled and she rubbed her fingers curiously over the ink as it started to fade into the thick parchment like water evaporating on hot stone. "What the devil?" New words appeared on the page in a precise, round script that was not her own.

_Merlin and Morgana? Now, that's interesting. _

Panic seized her with such a sudden ferocity that the quill in her hand stabbed her palm as it broke under the pressure of her tightly clenched fist. She could do nothing except stare at the mysterious words while her mind raced with possible explanations for what was happening to her. As her blood began to drip onto the parchment, she sprang into action, frantically attempting to remove it from the suspicious page. As a witch with a working knowledge of ancient dark objects, Ginny's intuition told her that she was in trouble when the parchment seemed to consume her blood like a thirsty creature. She chastised herself for not recognizing the diary as a dark object before. Thinking quickly, she reached for a fresh quill. Her first thought was that someone had sent her the diary in order to spy on her. She'd allowed part of her secret to leak to an unknown adversary, but she could fix it with a few more strokes of the quill. Ginny prepared to play the part of an innocent schoolgirl in love with Harry Potter. That was the façade that the whole world, including her enemies, needed to see. She knew that the owner of the diary could be no match for her skills at subterfuge.

_Oh, that's nothing; just a story I'm writing. It's silly. I'd much rather talk about something else. Do you know Harry Potter? _

HG**LM

Lucius promptly made his way down to the dungeons after personally informing Dumbledore of the governors' decision to remove the headmaster from his position. Lucius needed to clean up his mess, and it would be much easier for him to do so without the old man's meddling.

Reaching Severus' quarters, Lucius rapped on the door with the head of his walking stick and waited. The door had a sliding peephole not unlike one found upon the entrance to a brothel or the headquarters of a secret society. It always amused Lucius that Severus knew his knock, yet the suspicious spy still never failed to slide open the slot and peer through it suspiciously at his long-time friend.

Staring angrily at Lucius through the door, Severus said, "I told you not to come down here, Lucius. You are playing a dangerous game with which I do not wish to be involved. Dumbledore knows you are responsible, and that's why you've had him removed. You better hope that he doesn't find proof."

Lucius sighed, looked around the empty corridor, and whispered, "For fuck's sake, Severus! It's not what you think. Let me in, and I'll explain."

Without saying another word, Severus opened his door to Lucius. Both men walked silently into a small sitting room. Lucius took a seat while Severus poured drinks in an attempt to calm his anger.

"I knew you were behind this business with the Chamber of Secrets as soon as you even suggested removing Albus from the school. They are only children, Lucius. Are you really so depraved?"

Lucius drained his entire glass of Firewhisky in one swallow and then looked steadily at Severus. "I need you to understand that I did not know she would open the Chamber. I only wanted her out of the way. She is evil, Severus."

"Who?" Severus asked.

Lucius stated her name with more malice than Severus had ever heard from his friend. "Ginny Weasley."

"I think the years of inbreeding within the pureblood families have finally made you all completely mad, Lucius."

Lucius laughed bitterly. "I'm serious. I gave her an object that belonged to the Dark Lord. I thought it would destroy her, but I now have reason to believe that she's using it to open the Chamber of Secrets."

Severus looked disgusted. "That's ridiculous! She's a little girl! Have you no decency?"

Lucius stood and shouted, "She's not a little girl!"

Severus met his friend's furious, unguarded eyes and saw a flurry of odd images much like the ones he glimpsed years before. Realizing that his mind was being invaded, Lucius turned away in order to reconstruct his Occlumency walls. The older wizard regained his composure within minutes. He poured himself another drink and reclaimed his chair.

Realizing the significance of what he had just witnessed, Severus broke the silence. "For years I have known that you are not what you seem to be, and for years I've had time to think about your failure to Occlude your mind against me all those years ago. I once saw a woman in your mind from a different time. It was as if you had thoughts of a different life . . . perhaps the life of an ancestor. In fact, if you had shorter hair and a beard, you'd look exactly like . . ."

Lucius interrupted, "I'll curse you if you dare finish that thought, Severus!"

Without comment, Severus changed directions. "And now I see this vision of Miss Weasley, and not only is she an adult, but she is also a murderous shrew. How is that possible, my friend? Are you gifted with a sort of Divination? Or has the Ministry finally perfected a new manner of Time Turner?"

Lucius sighed. "What I want to know is how I keep letting my guard down in front of you when not even the Dark Lord or Narcissa have seen these thoughts of mine. Can you tell me that?"

"Of course I can." Severus paused. "We've become real friends over the years, Lucius."

Lucius warned, "Just because we are friends does not give you the right to use Legilimency on me. Consider this your last warning."

Severus nodded. "Fine. Miss Weasley is a dark witch, you had a subtle plan of attack against her, and now you've made an enormous disaster out of it. What do you propose we do about the terror you've unknowingly unleashed within the castle?"

Lucius knew that there was only one simple answer to that question. He stood ready to act. "We'll have to find the Chamber, and you must keep the students from wondering about the castle until we do."

"The faculty has already searched," Severus added.

Lucius gave him a weary look and nodded. "We have no choice but to search again."

As they prepared to exit the professor's quarters, Severus suddenly blocked the door. "Wait a moment. Before we go, I need to know the identity of the woman with wild hair and amber eyes. Is she also a dark witch? You don't seem to see her as such, but I need to make absolutely sure. It is important."

Lucius fought hard to contain his shock and anger. "How many times must I ask you not to mention these things? You are playing with Fiendfyre, my friend."

Severus didn't back down. "I really don't wish to pry any further, Lucius. I respect your privacy, but I need to know if this other woman is also a threat. Is she dangerous?"

It was then that Lucius understood. Severus knew where to find Morgana. "You know who she is, Severus?"

Lucius' tone told Severus that his friend was missing something. He was surprised by the discovery that Lucius did not seem to know the identity of his mystery woman. Severus was fairly certain that she was none other than Potter's know-it-all friend, Miss Hermione Granger, but he wasn't going to volunteer that information to Lucius. It would be much more illuminating to watch him sort it out for himself. He repeated his earlier question with more intensity as the last thing he needed was for both of Potter's female companions to be treacherous witches. "Is she dangerous?"

"No! She's not dangerous!"

"Good . . . The night I first saw her in your mind was the same night that you left the revel. I know where you went, Lucius. You went to St. Mungo's." Severus thought back to the day that he saw Hermione Granger's date of birth in her school records and started to add up the pieces to a puzzle that he still couldn't exactly solve.

Lucius pleaded, "Yes, I've been looking for her for years. I was beginning to doubt that I'd ever see her again. The last time I saw her was so long ago."

Severus left the question of her identity unanswered. "Perhaps you should look closer."

HG**LM

"_Why must you go? I have a horrible feeling that I shall never see you again." Morgana watched Merlin gather provisions for his long journey, her morning nausea rising more and more as he tucked item after item into a faded leather bag. _

_Merlin pulled her into his arms and explained, "You know why I must go. Avalon is no more. Muggle barbarians plague our lands. It is time for a proper separation between Muggle and wizard villages lest our kind become overrun by these barbarians and eventually perish forever." _

_She began to feel dizzy. "But my father is a Muggle." _

"_Morgana, your mother is a witch, and that makes you a witch. That is the heritage of which you should be proud." _

_She wilted into his arms and asked, "Are you sure it has to be this way?" _

"_Yes, the new plans for exclusive, secret-kept Wizarding communities are only the beginning. One day soon our world will be completely separate from that of Muggles. Trust me, my love. It will be better for us all. The Persians established laws of secrecy centuries ago, which greatly aided them in their survival after the fall of the Sassanian Empire. We have to meet with them in order to follow their example." He gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. Noticing that she looked pale, he asked, "Are you feeling well?" _

_She shook her head and tightened her hold on his robes. "No, I'm not quite fine. I've been feeling a strange sickness for the last few mornings. It's better now than it was earlier, but I fear you are making it worse. I may need to mix myself a potion after you leave." She took a deep breath and continued to debate against his imminent departure. "Really, Merlin? I don't see us establishing a community such as theirs in our lifetimes. The path to Persia is long, and their magic is strange. I will worry for you. Please don't go." _

_Merlin sighed, ran his hands down her smooth figure, and breathed in the sweet scent of her hair. "My sister and her family live in our father's home near Stonehenge. Go there if you need anything before I return. I have written to her, and she assures me that you are welcome there at any hour. Spending time with them could bring you some happiness in my absence."_

"_I won't be happy until you return." _

_He brushed her untamed tresses out of her worried face and simply kissed her. "Does that make you feel better?" _

_She answered him only with her inviting body, pulling him down onto their bed and surrendering to his last lingering expression of love. Unknown to both of them was the impending reality that he'd never make it back from Persia, he'd never see his unborn child, and he'd never again hold his lover. _

HG**LM

If Ginny weren't already dying a pathetic death on the ancient stone floor in the Chamber of Secrets, she would certainly kill Lucius for cursing her with Tom Riddle's diary. She'd tried to throw it away when she'd realized too late that it contained magic darker than even hers, and it was then that she remembered how close to her Lucius Malfoy had been standing on that day in the bookstore.

As her strength quickly waned, she fought against death's cloudy darkness. The desire for revenge against the only man capable of bringing such an insidious plague against her soul kept her tethered among the living for just long enough for her savior to appear. She concentrated on Harry's voice while struggling to open her eyes.

After finally succeeding in forcing herself into full consciousness, she saw Harry Potter wielding Excalibur. Harry called it the Sword of Gryffindor, and she mentally cursed Merlin upon thinking of him giving the sword to Godric. She knew in that moment that she'd chosen the perfect wizard with whom to rise to power. He didn't have ambition, but she'd take care of that. He had fame, bravery, and a fair amount of luck. He also displayed loyalty, which was his most important attribute as she fully intended to exploit it as much as possible. As she watched the Phoenix heal him, she daydreamed of a day when he would finally outlive his usefulness, and she would once again control the great sword and the elusive cup.


	6. Chapter 5: The 1994 Quidditch World Cup

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 5: The 1994 Quidditch World Cup

Hermione finally felt like she belonged in the Wizarding world as she looked across the Quidditch pitch at the throngs of witches and wizards peppering the stands with emerald green and scarlet while waiting excitedly for the game to begin. It was perhaps the most poignant moment in the young woman's life when she looked at the unkempt, childlike lads framing her and smiled sadly at the realization that they now meant more to her than her own family. She didn't share a bloodline with the rag-tag family assembled mirthfully and lovingly around her, but as she was discovering more and more every day, the magic present in their blood created a bond between them that seemed even more natural than her bond with her parents.

Letting go of the Muggle world had been a tedious and awkward transition for her to make. While her second year at Hogwarts felt much easier than her first, she really came into her own by her third year, and she understood during the long summer days that her parents' house no longer seemed like the home that it had once been. Hermione was suddenly more at ease staying at the Burrow, and she found solace within the ancient walls of Hogwarts Castle. Part of her mourned the loss of her connection to the Muggle world, but all it took was one more look at the enchanted atmosphere around her for Hermione to eventually breathe a sigh of satisfaction and link arms with Harry and Ron.

Hermione's calm contentment gave way to rising apprehension as she saw Draco Malfoy draw near with his parents. She disentangled herself from the boys and tried in vain to calm her tumultuous hair by running shaky fingers through it. She wanted Draco Malfoy to like her for almost the same reasons that she wanted Severus Snape to like her.

Draco always mocked her, and he clearly despised her. He was as intelligent as she, yet most days he treated her like she was nothing. She didn't even exist in his world.

It hadn't taken long for her anger to become desperation. She then wanted from him what she could not have—his respect. She'd never admit to anyone what she couldn't come to terms with herself; that she fancied him. Gryffindors were known for seeking challenges, and Hermione's vie for attention from the one boy in school to ever call her a Mudblood to her face was certainly a great challenge.

As Draco exchanged words with her friends, Hermione's attention turned to his parents. Meeting Lucius Malfoy's eyes was like her second homecoming that day as their smoky gray gaze lulled her back into a sense of security before suddenly turning to cold steel when realization washed over them. Her eyes widened in fear.

She didn't know what possessed her to stare at Lucius Malfoy, but he did not seem pleased. With flushed cheeks, she tried to look away, but she couldn't help stealing sporadic glances at him because she could sense his eyes still lingering on her. Hermione's mind was immediately full of questions.

Why was he still staring at her?

Why had she so comfortably locked eyes with him?

Why did she get the feeling that she had looked at him that way before?

HG**LM

"What brings you to Hogwarts, Lucius?"

Lucius answered Severus silently by turning toward the courtyard where Hermione Granger was studying while her friends played Exploding Snap.

Severus smirked. "Ah! You've at last discovered your missing lady." Looking at his friend's grim expression, he added, "Disappointed?"

"Do not mock me, Severus. I am not in the mood," Lucius growled.

"You misunderstand me. I wouldn't dare mock a great wizard like you . . . It would be like insulting Merlin himself, wouldn't you say?"

Lucius spun around to greet Severus' sober expression, and the two men stood toe to toe while Lucius held his wand to his friend's throat. As the dull wooden tip of Lucius' weapon dug harder into his neck, Severus kept his gaze steadily on Lucius' face, which remained as seemingly passive as ever. The slight glint of determination in the older man's eyes told Severus that his friend was not truly angry, but Lucius needed to keep up appearances; he needed to determine Severus' intentions.

Severus chose his next words carefully. "There's no need for violence."

Lucius said, "You've just proven to me that you know too much. I've warned you before not to associate that name with me, but you've chosen to disregard my previous warnings. Now talk."

Looking momentarily confused, Severus asked, "What do you wish me to say?"

Pressing the wand further into Severus' pale skin, Lucius said, "Tell me about Hermione Granger . . . Tell me about myself. What do you think is happening here?"

"I have your word that you won't kill me after I tell you?"

"Talk, Severus."

"I obviously have access to her school records. She was born on the night you went to St. Mungo's looking for her, but she was born to Muggles. You didn't expect that. Morgana must have had Muggle relatives?"

Lucius did not betray his surprise at the level of Severus' knowledge. "She did have a Muggle parent, but I never imagined . . . How could she be born to her Muggle ancestors?" He looked disgusted. "How do you know she is Morgana?"

"I wasn't precisely sure at first. Your only surviving portrait is in the library here, so I was able to study it. I found it interesting that it has always been inexplicably frozen as you well know . . . But she has no portrait. A few faded drawings in Madam Pince's personal collection by a Muggle-born called 'Marie de France' were all I could find, but even those had to be sketched second-hand as Morgana was not her contemporary. Morgana's hair is what drew my attention. It is a very distinct feature, and it is apparently one of the few details about her not lost to obscurity."

Severus continued speaking when Lucius failed to respond. "Why did you follow the Dark Lord, Lucius?"

Without warning, Lucius used silent Legilimency against Severus. Although Lucius did not use his wand, the magic was violent. Severus' hands clawed at Lucius' chest as he labored to free himself from the mental hold, but the connection was just as gripping as physical restraints. Severus could not flee or turn from Lucius, so he surrendered.

Lucius saw everything.

Removing his mental hold on Severus, Lucius said, "I always knew you were Dumbledore's man, but I had no idea of the depth of your love for Narcissa." At Severus' shocked silence, he continued, "Don't look so worried. I already suspected you were a spy . . ."

Severus interrupted, "I don't give a damn about that! I have more incriminating evidence against you than you could ever gather against me!"

"Then why are you getting so worked up?" Lucius said in a disbelieving tone.

"I could never love anyone after L—Never again speak to me of love, Lucius."

Lucius sighed. "Let it go, man!"

"Lucius . . ."

Lucius knew he had lost. "Fine! We digress."

Severus nodded. "Yes. I asked you a question."

"I was powerful before, and I am still a great wizard, but the things I did in a previous life are irrelevant, Severus. I didn't have children then. My siblings had families, but I had only my apprentice, and she was powerful enough to look after herself. I could do as I pleased, and my life was the only life changed by my decisions."

Lucius paused.

"I had already taken the Dark Mark by the time I remembered who I had been so long ago. I was expected to marry and produce an heir, so I fulfilled my duty to my family. Now . . . I truly know fear, Severus."

"You think that your loyalties help Draco?"

"I am the wealthiest pureblood wizard in Britain, Severus. I had to choose sides. I could not have simply faded into the background like you could have. Draco's survival is more important to me than anything—even the pureblood cause."

Severus was getting impatient. "But surely you didn't have to bow down to him!"

Lucius looked into the courtyard, following Hermione's every movement. "He is truly great. His magic is remarkable. I am also capable of extraordinary magic, but would it be enough? Dumbledore is great, but he failed to defeat the Dark Lord once before. Grindelwald was great, but look at him now."

He shook his head. "He will return, Severus. I can't openly defy him unless it becomes absolutely necessary. He has magic beyond my knowledge, and I have too much to lose. I must protect Draco, and I must destroy Miss Weasley . . . I can handle her. I taught her everything she knows. The world will survive as long as her knowledge is destroyed. You should know, Severus, that Dark Lords come and go, but her plans have the potential to destroy the Wizarding world and the Muggle world. All could be lost. The Dark Lord can never know what she knows. Had I known that part of his soul was in that diary, I wouldn't have given it to her. I could have ruined everything."

Severus dared to ask, "What exactly does she know?"

Lucius remained silent.

Severus decided to let the matter drop as he noticed Lucius' attention being monopolized by his little know-it-all student. He followed the other man's lead, and they watched her in silence for a moment before Severus finally asked, "When did you know it was her?"

"At the Quidditch World Cup. I'd never _really _looked at her before. After all, she is only a Muggle-born witch. I looked her in the eyes, and she boldly stared right back at me." Lucius was lost in the memory, and he continued in a low voice, "She's now about the same age as she was when she became my apprentice, and all I felt was relief at having found her . . . until I remembered her blood status. I felt disappointment at first, but then I was angry."

"Angry at her blood status?"

"No. I was angry with her for being there. The Death Eater attack was imminent."

Severus understood. Lucius hadn't wanted Hermione to be injured during the attack, but he had been powerless to stop the mission. There had been too many high profile Death Eaters involved.

Lucius suddenly spoke. "She is beautiful, isn't she?"

Severus frowned. "The girl is my fifteen-year-old student, Lucius. I hardly think of her as beautiful. She is a thorn in my side . . . But she is an intelligent and powerful thorn in my side."

Lucius smirked.

Severus continued, "Although, I'd never admit to saying that about her."

"Just protect her, Severus. You are in a good position to do that here. I am always available to you if you need my help."

"She is Potter's friend, Lucius. I will need all of the help that you can give me. I only need to know one thing."

"What is it?"

"Will she remember?"

"She will remember when she is older." Lucius turned to Severus. With purpose in his voice, he said, "However, Miss Weasley is already aware. Be warned."

Lucius resumed his watch over Hermione. "I still have five years left before I can approach her."

"Have you thought about the possibility that she might not accept you after all that will happen?" Severus asked.

"You just told me that she is a clever girl, Severus. I have faith that she will sort out everything and come to me."

HG**LM

Hermione stood amidst the dusty tomes shelved in the oldest section of the library. Her body was perfectly still as she faced the back wall, studying the ancient portrait of Merlin instead of conducting her research for the History of Magic essay due the next morning. She wondered so many things about the portrait and its subject. Peering into Merlin's eyes, she thought she understood why she found Lucius' eyes so familiar. They were exactly the same. She wondered why the image of Merlin was frozen in space just like a Muggle portrait, but she decided that it could have been painted before wizards learned to enchant paintings to move. Of course, she also decided to research it later.

An airy voice next to her finally spoke. "It's the only surviving original portrait of him, you know? There are copies and images of him in books, but this is the only original painting."

Hermione looked to her side to see a girl with blond hair and Ravenclaw robes. "Do I know you?"

The girl grinned only slightly. "I'm Luna Lovegood, and you are Hermione Jean Granger. It's nice to meet you."

Luna extended her hand, and Hermione shook it warily. It was disconcerting that the girl knew her full name and had followed her into a part of the library where students rarely ventured. Luna was wearing mismatched earrings, and she appeared to be studying Hermione too closely. After only a few moments alone with the young Ravenclaw, Hermione could sense that she was a bit odd. Both girls turned their attention back to the portrait.


	7. Chapter 6: Genetics

Chapter 6: Genetics

Hermione stood in uncomfortable silence with Luna Lovegood for what seemed like an eternity, wishing for a Time-Turner. Just as the lingering awkwardness of their recent introductions was starting to dissipate, the younger girl finally spoke. "His beard was full of Wrackspurts. It's why he was eventually killed in Persia. They made his brain too fuzzy, and he couldn't block a stray curse in time. It's a common problem for wizards with excessive facial hair . . . I wonder how Dumbledore avoids it."

During the course of Luna's ramblings, Hermione turned to her in indignant disbelief. Not only was the strange girl talking nonsense, but she was also disrupting Hermione's much needed solitude.

Luna continued, "The only explanation I can think of is that Dumbledore must groom his beard more often to keep them from nesting there . . . Or maybe Professor Hagrid makes him a special repellant. What do you think?"

Hermione simply stared at the girl for a moment, hoping that a pregnant pause would discourage further drivel, but Luna's innocent stare eventually wore away at Hermione's resolve. She managed a short, exasperated response. "What?"

Disconcerted by Luna's continued presence, Hermione abruptly shifted her attention back to the portrait.

Luna changed the subject by asking, "Isn't he fascinating?"

Hermione reluctantly mumbled, "He reminds me of someone."

"He's related to a few of the older Wizarding families, so that probably explains why he looks familiar to you," said Luna in a factual tone.

Luna suddenly had Hermione's full attention. "Which ones? Are the Malfoys among his descendants?"

Luna smiled knowingly. "Yes, there's no denying that, is there? Although they are not his direct descendents, they have his eyes for sure. Some of them even have his hair . . . Merlin had no known offspring, but I happen to know the truth."

The flutter of excitement Hermione initially felt at the possibility of gleaning any useful information from Luna quickly died. Her views on history and life were obviously skewed, and Hermione couldn't stop the biting remark from slipping past her lips. "Oh, yeah? Have you another ludicrous theory to share?"

Hermione's attitude didn't seem to intimidate or discourage Luna from sharing her story. "Oh, it's far from ludicrous, Hermione. I haven't told many people this, but I know Merlin had progeny because I am descended from the daughter he had with his apprentice, Morgana. She was with child when Merlin left England. He never returned, and she went into seclusion with her child for their protection. It's all in her journals that have been passed down to every daughter in my family."

Hermione didn't look convinced. "Why have I never read about that in History of Magic?"

Luna shrugged. "How could you? Morgana's public life ended when Merlin left, and my family has never released her journals."

Hermione looked scandalized. "She really had journals? Surely they should be properly researched and catalogued at the Ministry and put into a proper library!"

"Oh, no . . . They aren't academic writings. They are personal letters and the like. They belong with the family." Luna sat down at a nearby table, and Hermione followed suit without really thinking about what she was doing. Luna's story was suddenly interesting.

"Luna . . . Even personal documents from a witch as legendary as Morgana should be available to the world."

"They are all she left behind. We cannot trust them to anyone. They are our family's most precious heirlooms."

"She didn't leave behind anything else."

Luna cocked her head to the side and grinned. "Well, she did leave us all with a distinct birthmark, but that's not what you meant, is it?" She lifted her hair and twisted it on top of her head before turning in her seat, revealing a purple mark at the base of her neck."

Hermione swallowed hard and unconsciously placed a hand at the back of her own neck, rubbing her skin nervously through her thick locks of hair.

HG**LM

_Father, _

_I hope this letter finds you well. I know you weren't expecting another letter from me until next week, but you did ask me to always report peculiar occurrences from Potter's social circle. I've noticed, on more than one occasion, Miss Weasley attempting to pry Viktor Krum away from his classmates, and I have observed him being less than gentlemanly with her beneath the Quidditch pitch. She seems to be keeping their relationship a secret from her brother and his friends, and I can understand why. I find this particularly disturbing because of her young age, and I thought you ought to know. Having taken what he wanted from Weasley, Krum appears to be moving on, forming a similar relationship with Hermione Granger. I suspect that Weasley is more upset about this development than she lets on, but she really should have been more modest with her affections. _

_I assume that Granger is a bad influence on the girl. I honestly don't understand how Krum can stand Granger. She'll never be a proper witch, and her attitude is only getting worse. She's started making clothes for house-elves! Clothes! She's completely mental, going around the whole school spreading her Muggle propaganda about freedom for all creatures. It's disturbing. _

_I must go to breakfast, and I know that you are busy as well. Give Mum my regards. I'll write again next week. _

_Your son, _

_Draco _

HG**LM

Lucius read his son's letter twice before pouring himself a strong drink. He was disturbed for several reasons, and he needed to relax in order to think about this latest development. Ginny's actions were not at all surprising. Lucius knew that she never granted a man favors without gaining something in return, and as Krum was competing against Potter in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, he was fairly certain that she was seducing Krum in order to help Potter in some way. It was the most logical conclusion.

What pained him the most was his son's mention of Hermione. He prayed that she wouldn't allow the Bulgarian to take advantage of her. He grimaced at the thought that she was only fifteen and immediately removed parchment and a quill from his desk, hastily scrawling a note to Severus about watching the young man's interactions with Hermione.

After sending the letter, Lucius thought about Hermione's fondness for house-elves. He gave a soft chuckle as he remembered his naive Morgana presenting clothes to her beloved house-elf after he had told her the story of their enslavement. He'd always despised her bothersome little house-elf, Pippi. Lucius' own former servant, Dobby, reminded him of Pippi, which was the source of his extreme contempt for the annoying creature.

HG**LM

_Merlin's mind was at ease as he sat near the hearth, relishing a quiet moment after supper. The night's meal had been particularly satisfying because the house-elves had prepared Morgana's favorite recipes in order to celebrate her entry into womanhood. _

_He shifted his lazy gaze from the book in his lap to the womanly silhouette at his feet, regarding her sleeping form with fondness as she lounged on the rug in front of the fire. She mumbled in her dreams, and he could see drool glistening on her lips as she rolled onto her stomach, wiping damp strands of hair out of her flushed face. In moments like this he was reminded of how young and childlike she still was despite her physical maturity. _

_Closing the book, he approached Morgana and lifted her into his arms. She protested with a sleepy grunt before letting her head fall onto his shoulder and resuming her light snoring. He placed a soft kiss upon her forehead and carried her into her bedroom. _

_After placing her gently into the bed, he turned to leave, but her small, sleepy voice called to him in the darkness. "Master?" _

_Merlin turned at the door. "Go back to sleep, Morgana. You've had a trying day." _

"_But you promised to tell me a story . . . Please stay and tell me about the fair elves." Morgana sat up on her elbows and frowned. _

_He returned to her side and asked, "What do you want to know?" _

_She pulled him down, forcing him to sit beside her on the bed. "The Elvish Goblet . . . you never finished telling me about it." _

_He answered her in a soft, yet firm, voice. "Never speak of it by that name. Do you understand?" _

"_Yes, master," she muttered. _

_He placed his hand on hers. "I am not angry with you, but I need you to understand the importance of secrecy in these matters. Only I keep the secret of the Holy Grail's true history. The Muggles do not know anything. Most wizards know pieces of the truth, but none of them know everything. The human memory is short, and the complete story has been lost over time. The Grail can be dangerous, so it is best forgotten by the masses. As my apprentice, you will inherit the writings . . . and the responsibility . . . Where should I continue the story?" _

_Morgana's excitement began to build. "You said that some wizards removed the Grail from the Tor and fled to the East with it, weakening the fair elves. You said that it was lost until Jesus came along." _

_Merlin closed his eyes and began the tale. "It is true. The Grail was lost for all of those years, but the elves did search for it. During their quest they encountered a band of traveling warriors and merchants, who regaled them with tales of an immortal witch called Circe. They called her a witch, but her powers were not of the Grail, and it was later said that she was a daughter of the gods. She was a renowned Potions Mistress known for transfiguring her enemies into all manner of animals and beasts with her potions, but the part of the story most interesting to the elves was the mention of Circe's cup. It was said that the witch tempted men to drink from her golden goblet. Some even claimed that the cup itself was magical because of its beauty and distinction." _

"_Was it the Grail?" Morgana interrupted. _

"_It was not. Circe was easily enraged, and she was a mischievous witch. As soon as they set foot on her island in search of her golden cup, she began to plot against them. Seeing their inquiry as an insult, she lured them into a false sense of security before striking. She cursed the elves into the form they are still trapped in today." _

"_To this very day?" Morgana was both confused and curious. _

_Merlin nodded. "House-elves." _

_Morgana was instantly alert with terror in her eyes. Her voice became shrill and desperate. "No! That's not possible! They were beautiful, immortal creatures!" _

_He waited for her silence and continued, "Their immortality slipped away when the humans betrayed them, and their beauty was taken away from them by Circe. They were then shunned wherever they traveled. They still had powerful magic, but it was bound to that of humans. They preformed their best and felt healthier among us. Many wizards also claimed that their powers were more potent when they were among the house-elves."_

"_Then how did they become enslaved?" she asked while suppressing a yawn. _

_Merlin allowed her to rest her head against his chest while he explained, "It was a gradual process that is still evolving. When the house-elves first returned to the Wizarding community, they were shunned for their appearance, and they quarreled with most other magical creatures. They came back to humans for protection, and they agreed to various contracts that bound them to servitude in exchange. It took many generations for the current relationship between house-elves and wizards to develop." _

_When Merlin finished his story, he realized that Morgana was sobbing into his tunic. _

"_Don't cry over it, you silly girl." _

_She sobbed harder and mumbled muffled apologies into his chest, refusing to look into his eyes. _

_He sighed and wrapped his arms around her small shoulders. _

_She finally whispered, "I'm giving Pippi clothes tomorrow. I hope she stays, but I'll understand if she leaves." _

_Merlin sighed. "Of course she'll stay, Morgana, which is unfortunate for me. I wish that I had known years ago how utterly useless she is . . . This is the only home that she knows, and she loves you. Do not fret." _

_He gently rocked her in his arms until her steady breathing told him that she was finally asleep. Pulling a blanket over her sleeping form, he whispered, "Maybe now you'll stop asking me to tell you stories before you go to sleep."_

HG**LM

Harry and Ron stared at Hermione in disbelief as she knitted garish little clothes for the Hogwarts house-elves.

Ron finally worked up the courage to ask, "You don't actually think they'll wear those, do you?" When she didn't answer, he added, "They look sort of odd."

Harry added, "Creepy."

Ron nodded.

When Hermione turned to the boys with a look that could kill, Harry suddenly stuck his nose deeper into the newspaper he was reading, leaving Ron as her sole victim.

"I can't believe you would ask me that, Ron Weasley! I'm trying to liberate enslaved magical creatures. Who cares what the clothes look like?"

Hermione gathered her things and fled the room. She felt like a freak, and she couldn't understand why she was the only one concerned about the rights of house-elves. There was just something in her soul telling her that she needed to correct the wrongs done to them. Feeling isolated in the Wizarding world for the first time in years, she went to the library to find a bit of comfort.


	8. Chapter 7: Ravenclaws Love A Puzzle

Chapter 7: Ravenclaws Love A Puzzle

_**He was lingering between sleep and consciousness, dreaming of a memory. Approaching sunlight that flowed in soft beams through a doorway at the end of a corridor, he saw his lover's silhouette as she leaned over the stone ledge of a balcony. Dust particles danced in the sunlight and sparkled like diamonds, making her look even more like an angel than she already did in his eyes. She wore only a blanket from his bed wrapped around her breasts while she looked down upon the busy courtyard below. **_

_**House-elves tended the luscious rows of vegetables and flowers that made up the gardens while the village children's laughter filled the air. A gentle breeze blew across the balcony, tangling her long hair as she clutched the thin billowing blanket closer to her body. He breathed in the scent of his woman as it was carried through the warm air. It was a beautiful day, and he couldn't wait to enjoy it with the young woman.**_

_**Resting his chin on her naked shoulder, he wrapped his arms tightly about her waist. She leaned further over the ledge, which made him moan at the feel of her backside rubbing into him. **_

_**She smiled, lifted his hand to her lips, and whispered, "Last night was perfect. I never imagined it would feel so wonderful." **_

_**He chuckled softly into her ear. "Last night was only the beginning, my love. I can make you feel so much more." **_

"_**Now, Master?" **_

_**His hands slowly worked their way through the material covering her body until his touch met her bare thigh. She shivered. **_

_**As his fingers slid lightly up her inner thigh, he said, "You are no longer obligated to address me as 'Master.' You are my mistress . . . But yes. I want to make you feel more right now. I want to take you right here in the open daylight with nothing separating us from the rest of the world." **_

_**He could tell by her heavy breathing that she was excited, but her trembling voice told him that she was also nervous. It made him want her even more. He Finally plunged his skilled fingers into her moist folds, and she felt the blanket pool at her feet before she even realized that she had dropped it. **_

_**She cried, "Someone could see us." **_

"_**Only if they look up. Now, spread your legs for me." He continued nibbling on her neck before dropping his linen trousers, gripping her hips, and slowly sliding himself into her. He knew that she was still a bit sore from losing her virginity the night before, so he thrust into her with a soft, slow rhythm, keeping her close to his body. When her moaning began to crescendo and she drove him deeper inside of her by matching his thrusts with her own, he knew that they would both soon come undone. Her name was on his lips as he came. **_

"**Morgana!" Lucius woke up to the sound of his own voice echoing throughout his room. His ruined sheets clung to his spent body while he lay alone in the dark. **

**HG**LM**

**The Department of Mysteries reminded Hermione of a creepy carnival fun house that she had once seen in an old horror film, and she wondered if a place that bizarre had the right to be so clean and fresh smelling. Despite the shelves upon shelves of macabre relics and dangerous paraphernalia, Hermione breathed in the soft scent of fresh jasmine. **

**Suspecting a trap at any minute, she was more nervous than she had ever been during one of her adventures with the boys. Harry was convinced of Sirius' imminent peril, and she had accepted that he was beyond seeing reason before they had even left Hogwarts. The sliver of doubt in her mind over the safety of Harry's godfather was enough to keep her focused and moving forward with the group. **

**As Hermione's logical mind tried to process Harry's last strange comment about looking for a room that glitters, she and the others confronted a tank full of brains. She closed her eyes and thought, **_**It's okay, Hermione, they're just floating brains. You can do this.**_

**HG**LM**

**Ginny couldn't believe it. The Veil of Lost Souls stood before her in all of its primeval glory. Remembering a time long ago when kings had used the veil as a most cruel from of execution, a slight shiver ran down her spine. She knew that victims of the veil died slow, painful deaths while their souls remained trapped within the veil for eternity. As Nimue, she had been afraid of the veil. It was a particularly nasty and evil piece of magic that she had worked with Merlin to destroy, but it had vanished before the deed could be accomplished. Nimue had always suspected the Slytherin family, but they had covered their tracks too well. As a calculating smile graced her lips, Ginny knew exactly where she was going to dispose of her enemies if she ever got the chance. After following her through time and thwarting her quest for the Grail, they deserved the agony. **

**Ginny heard the breathy hissing of desperate souls as their voices penetrated the archway, but she remained silent while "Loony" Lovegood and Harry both explained hearing the disembodied whispers to their skeptical friends. It was obvious that none of her companions had ever heard of the veil or its powers, and she began to wonder if it still functioned correctly. **

**HG**LM**

**Lucius waited patiently in the shadows while Hermione guided Harry and the other children through the rows of prophesies. He truly didn't want to be there. The Dark Lord expected him to give the order to kill Potter's friends should the boy refuse to cooperate, and he couldn't afford to botch the mission with the lives of his wife and son at stake. All he could do was stay as close as possible to Hermione and Ginny and pray to God for the chance to save one and rid the world of the other. **

**Lucius' blood ran cold when Harry spoke the Dark Lord's name and proclaimed him a half-blood for all of the Death Eaters to hear. He was losing control of the situation fast, and he struggled to keep his sister-in-law from unleashing her deranged, angry magic upon the children before they could successfully complete the mission. **

**As Lucius fought his conscience in order to keep his cool voice and reason with Potter, his traitorous eyes kept stealing short glances at Hermione. She was growing into a beautiful woman, and he was drawn to her just as he had been all of those years ago.**

**In this life he wanted to give her more. He'd left her alone all those years ago, but things would be different this time. His wealth, his time, his soul—everything would be hers if they could only survive the war. Together they would destroy Nimue and protect the ancient secrets. She deserved so much more than living as his mistress. He'd make arrangements for Narcissa and Severus and give Hermione the proper home and title that he had denied her before. He allowed himself one last thought of her on her knees in front of him with a demure smile before coming back to reality. **

**Suddenly thinking himself a pervert, he refocused on the task at hand. It only took a few more seconds for the whole situation to come to a head in a storm of hexes, curses, and breaking glass. Lucius was forced to bark out orders while following the girls. **

**When Hermione and Ginny parted ways, Lucius had no choice. Deliberately losing his partner and staying in the shadows, he followed Hermione, Harry, and Neville past the wall of hourglasses. He observed the children as they destroyed everything in their path while attempting to escape the Death Eaters. **

**Lucius watched as a sticky situation with Dolohov and Hermione escalated. She was indeed a quick thinker, and the determined fire in her eyes told him that his Morgana was indeed still in her mind somewhere. He was proud of his little witch when it seemed that she had bested the vicious Death Eater, but his pride turned to shock when he saw the wounded man recover too quickly and take aim. Lucius' Confundus Charm hit Dolohov just in time to redirect the Death Eater's curse enough to miss his intended target, Hermione's head. It grazed her chest, and Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. The curse was meant to strike down the enemy and induce permanent blindness, but he knew a hit that low would merely knock her out for a short time. **

**An unconscious Hermione was also a much safer Hermione, and he knew that he must complete his mission and flee the Ministry as soon as possible. Hermione needed a healer, and his family needed him. **

**HG**LM**

**Luna had been called crazy countless times since her first day at Hogwarts, but she never really believed herself to be as mad as everyone thought until a few moments ago. She was seeing things; clues that she couldn't believe. Something was amiss, and she felt cold, awkward—afraid. **

**In the aftermath of the battle Hermione was draped over a chair while Neville partially supported her. Amid the constant chatter of her friends' inquiries about each other's health and their explanations of the night's events to the adults, Luna silently stared at the exposed birthmark on Hermione Granger's neck. She had first been drawn to the older girl that day in the library, and now she knew why; they had to be somehow related. **

**It was suddenly clear to Luna that Hermione's presence in the Ministry was connected to the other odd happenings she had witnessed throughout the night. She knew that her friends wouldn't believe her because she didn't fully believe it herself, but she had caught a glimpse of Ginny throwing a hex at Sirius Black just before Bellatrix Lestrange sent him into the veil. He had been distracted just long enough, and his fate had been sealed in an instant. Luna remembered that the look on Ginny's face had been one of curiosity and satisfaction, but the doubt in her mind kept her silent. After all, almost everyone in the room had thought that Sirius Black was a criminal until Harry had gone to pieces over his demise. **

**Luna had always been able to see things that are not apparent to others, and she had sensed an unspoken understanding between Hermione, Ginny, and Lucius Malfoy. The older man had made no effort to hide his disgust for any of the children, but it was plain to Luna that his hatred for Ginny ran much deeper. It was no secret that the Malfoys and the Weasleys had been feuding for generations, but her intuition told her there was something more. Luna had been surprised to see Ginny goading the Death Eater with sinister glares and wicked wand work. Even more curious than Mr. Malfoy's blatant hatred of Ginny and her reciprocal treatment of him was his noticeable lack of hatred for Hermione. **

**Luna thought back to her first conversation with Hermione in which they mentioned the Malfoys, Merlin and Morgana, and Luna's heritage. **

**HG**LM**

**Hermione sat in a firm bed in the stark hospital wing of Hogwarts. She was reading a card that had arrived with a rather large and impressive flower arrangement that morning. She didn't hear Luna approach, so she was startled when the younger girl spoke. **

"**Hello, Hermione. It's good to see you awake. Those are lovely flowers." **

"**Luna!" Hermione clutched the card to her chest. "You gave me a fright. How are you?" **

"**I'm well. You look happy. Is that from your Viktor?" Luna gestured to the card. **

**Hermione smiled. She was a bit fatigued, but still happy to see a friendly face and a new day. She presented the card to Luna. "The card is unsigned, but a house-elf delivered the flowers this morning. It was a little female elf. I tried to ask after her master, but she popped away before I could . . . She was wearing a crest that looked like—no, that's silly. Why would Malfoy send me anything? Unless he's feeling guilty about his father almost killing us, which isn't likely." **

**Luna sat patiently through Hermione's babbling, but became truly intrigued at the mention of Malfoy. She couldn't miss such a perfect opportunity to mention Mr. Malfoy and gauge Hermione's response. "Are you sure it was the Malfoy's crest?" **

**With a bit of annoyance, Hermione said, "No, I said it was silly." **

**Luna insisted, "But it looked like it, so it could have been from Malfoy Manor." **

**Hermione sighed. "I don't see how." **

**Luna lightened the mood by laughing a bit. She didn't want Hermione to get too stressed, so she pretended not to take the conversation seriously. She just continued to speak in her light and airy voice. "You must be able to see how, Hermione, or you wouldn't have mentioned it . . . Why did you mention it?" **

"**I suppose that it's hard to ignore what I thought my eyes saw. It must be the curse that's causing me to see things." Hermione laughed uneasily. **

**Luna got to her point. "Maybe Draco Malfoy didn't send them . . . It could have been Lucius Malfoy." **

**Hermione knew that Luna was a bit different, but there was no excuse for the girl to utter a comment that daft. "Don't be ridiculous, Luna! A Death Eater? Are you mad? I know you usually have far-fetched theories, but what possible explanation could you come up with for him doing that? Besides, isn't he in Azkaban by now?" **

**Luna could tell by Hermione's demeanor that she had no idea of Mr. Malfoy's interest in her, but the suspected presence of a Malfoy house-elf only strengthened her suspicions of there being a connection between Hermione and the elder Malfoy. **

**Luna answered, "I'm sure he will be in prison soon, but the trial isn't until tomorrow. He's under supervision in his home until then. I'll get you the most recent copy of **_**The Daily Prophet**_** if you want to read the latest news." **

"**Thanks. I'd like that. I haven't read it since yesterday morning, which was before everyone else left. I still don't see why Madam Pomfrey insists that I stay an extra day . . ." Hermione smiled at Luna and continued, "I was writing to Viktor when the flowers arrived, but I seem to have misplaced my quill and parchment in all of the excitement." **

**Hermione's bed and table were a mess. Stacks of books littered the entire area, and there were sweets, letters, and magazines everywhere. **

**Luna laughed softly. "I can see why you've lost them. You have quite a collection of things here." Her eyes caught sight of some parchment under the bed, and she bent down to retrieve it. It was Hermione's letter. The quill was there, too. **

**She lightly sang, "I found it!" **

**Before handing the parchment to Hermione, Luna glanced down at the small, precise handwriting and quietly gasped. It was Morgana's handwriting. Sure, the language and the letters had changed quite a bit from the thousand-year-old writings in her family's possession, but the resemblance was simply too close to be simple coincidence. As Luna stood there stunned, Hermione began to worry. **

**Hermione finally asked, "Luna . . . are you okay?" **

**Luna's eyes fluttered up to meet Hermione's. "Where were you born?" **

**Hermione was completely confused by the abrupt, random question. "What?" **

**Luna was relentless. "Where are your parents from? Where were you born?" **

**Hermione started to reply slowly. Her voice was monotone from apprehension. "I was born in Bristol. My parents used to live there, but . . . Why do you ask?" **

**Hermione was feeling uncomfortable, and Luna felt guilty for causing her stress while she was still recovering. "Don't worry, Hermione. I was only curious. You look like a witch I used to know, but your parents are Muggles." She smiled reassuringly at Hermione and handed her the quill and parchment. "Here's your letter. I have to go, but I'll be back later with **_**The Daily Prophet**_**." **

**As Luna made a hasty exit, Hermione called after her, "Thank you, Luna!" **

**Hermione searched the table for her bottle of Dreamless Sleep and took a dose. She needed to take a nap, but she didn't need her dark visitor to appear in her dreams again. He'd been plaguing her sleep for the past two days. It had started when she was unconscious from the dark spell Dolohov had thrown at her. **

**He was dark, he was charming, and he was older, yet something about him frightened her. She'd told Madam Pomfrey that she was having disturbing dreams, and the mediwitch had told her it was normal to have nightmares after receiving a dark curse because it awakens one's inner demons. Hermione thought that the older woman was being overly dramatic, but she took the potion anyway. She hoped her inner demons would go back to sleep soon. **

**HG**LM**

**Ginny's plan was working. Without Sirius Black, Harry's friends were the closest family he had. Her part in his death remained unknown, but even if someone had seen her little interference in the duel, the world saw him as a criminal. **

**Ginny looked across the room at her brother and Harry eating Chocolate Frogs. She smiled. Nothing could keep him from The Burrow now. **

**HG**LM**

_**She looked down into a familiar courtyard as the sound of children's laughter lulled her into a sense of peace and security. It was a strange place, but it was also home. The sunshine warmed the stone beneath her fingers and she leaned further onto the ledge, stealing its comforting warmth. **_

_**She knew he was there. The stranger was back again, and he was wrapping her in strong arms. She raised his hand to her face and gave it a kiss. **_

_**She heard her own voice speaking through the sound of the blowing wind, and it sounded older. She was somehow older. "Last night was perfect. I never imagined it would feel so wonderful." **_

_**His seductive whisper slithered into her ear. "Last night was only the beginning, my love. I can make you feel so much more." **_

"_**Now, Master?" **_

_**She didn't know why she was referring to the man as her master, but it made the experience even more erotic. She wanted him to take her from behind and tell her what to do. Her heart felt like it would break free from her chest. It pounded in excitement and fear as the feel of his hands on her skin took her breath away. **_

_**The heat of his skin on hers made her feel like a real woman. She felt truly sexy. "You are no longer obligated to address me as 'Master.' You are my mistress . . . But yes. I want to make you feel more right now. I want to take you right here in the open daylight with nothing separating us from the rest of the world." **_

_**His hands were everywhere, and she was suddenly naked in his arms as her blanket fell to her feet. The finger massaging her clit was the only thing on which she could concentrate. Her sense of modesty fought a losing battle with her building desire. **_

"_**Someone could see us." **_

"_**Only if they look up. Now, spread your legs for me." She still hadn't laid eyes on the man who was seducing her so sweetly. **_

_**She was filled. His unseen manhood sank into her with care, stretching her inexperienced flesh. Pain turned to pleasure as he started to fuck her long and slow. Just as she began to feel her release building within her core, she looked down to see the Dark Mark etched into his arm. **_

**Hermione woke up screaming from both ecstasy and fear. "Oh, Merlin!" she exclaimed. "What is wrong with me?" She hugged her knees to her chest. **

"**I'm dreaming of sex with Death Eaters now? I guess strange old men aren't enough for me anymore!" She sighed. "Why do I feel as though my subconscious mind is punishing me for what I did last summer?" **

**She calmed herself by taking a few deep breaths and using more of the potion next to her bed. She eventually smiled and whispered to herself, "Wow . . . I'm going to look much prettier in a few years."**


	9. Chapter 8: Year One At Rock Bottom

Gathering Echoes

Chapter 8: Year One At Rock Bottom

"I've never breathed air so putrid in my life, Mr. Malfoy . . . And you look even more rotten than you smell."

Beyond the iron bars of his dank cell Lucius could see Ginny Weasley's red hair gradually brighten the darkness like a single burning candle as she slowly stepped closer to the faint ray of moonlight that shot into the corridor from a hole in the roof through which Dementors passed and gathered. She smiled down on him, making him feel like a caged animal in the hands of a deranged child. He shivered once and turned away from her mocking grin.

He wondered how long he'd been there. He was desperate for any news from the outside, but he had already stooped so low within the last year that he didn't know if he could fathom losing what was left of his dignity by begging the Weasley bitch—Nimue—for information.

With his back still turned to Ginny, Lucius said, "I do not want your company, Miss Weasley. Leave now."

Ginny lingered silently for a moment. She almost turned to leave, but stopped and suddenly shouted into the cell, "Your son and wife are well, but the media and the public have been hard on them. Since you've been here . . . you've been locked away for almost two months by the way . . . Since you've been here your Dark Lord's return has become public knowledge, and he has started to successfully infiltrate the Ministry. Now that I have told you all that you were most certainly dying to know, will you turn around and face me like a man?"

Lucius turned to her with a haunted, yet mischievous, expression. "You haven't told me _everything _I want to know."

Ginny thought for a moment and then smirked. "Hermione Granger is also well."

Her words struck Lucius hard, but his face remained unchanged despite the pain in his chest and the anxiety in his thoughts. He sighed, "I was referring to your appearance here, Miss Weasley. How does an innocent girl of fifteen find her way into Azkaban undetected? Perhaps I could find my way out just as easily."

Ginny laughed. "Innocent? You amuse me, Malfoy!" She wrapped her fist around one of the cell's bars and stroked up and down the cold metal slowly and suggestively while saying, "I think that you are a bit too old and a bit too male to bribe the guards as I did, but you never know."

"You are repulsive! I can't believe that I once . . ." Lucius stopped himself. As Ginny's eyes lit up, he knew that she wanted him to speak of their past. She wanted that confirmation of his past memories that he still refused to give her.

"Go on," she pressed.

Lucius sat on the floor with his back against the wall and relaxed. He was determined to not let the little devil get to him. "No, I'm more interested in why you went to so much . . . trouble . . . to gain an audience with me. We hardly know each other. Is it because I tried to harm your little Potter? Did you come here to spit on me and tell me how wrong I am and how righteous you all are as Gryffindors?"

Ginny gritted her teeth at his patronizing tone. She whispered fiercely, "I saw the way that you looked at her in the Department of Mysteries, and I'm fairly positive that I saw you deflect a curse that was going to hit her. After all of these years, you love her."

"My wife? Narcissa was not in the Department of Mysteries."

Ginny was getting agitated, but she didn't dare call him by his true name. It would be just as foolish to openly pronounce his name as it would be to say her own ancient name aloud. "No."

Lucius only looked baffled. "At whom did I look? What do I remember?"

Ginny snapped, "Hermione Granger, you bloody prick! You know what I'm talking about! I can see it in your eyes! If you won't tell me where you hid the Grail, maybe I should torture it out of her! It isn't where it's supposed to be, so one of you must know."

Lucius began to chuckle profusely, his breath making puffs of fog in the icy air. "Torture the best mate of the boy you fancy? I think not. Not only do you think that I have feelings for a Mudblood child, but you also believe in Muggle legends? You can't find it because it doesn't exist. Your father has truly raised a house full of Muggle-loving fools, Miss Weasley."

Ginny calmed herself and leaned against the cell door. "I am no fool, and you are no dark wizard. I still can't sort out why a wizard as powerful as you would follow a half-blood terrorist. Maybe you are simply a coward; not brave enough to lead and not intelligent enough to tell me the truth right now."

Lucius nodded his weary head slowly and replied, "Not all powerful men have the aptitude for great leadership, and I find there isn't much job security at the top of the Wizarding world these days . . . Yes, I am a coward, but not because I will not play games with you, girl. I am a coward because I threatened a group of mere children while failing to protect my own. Now, leave me be."

Ginny glared at Lucius as she lowered herself to his level by placing her cloak on the cold, wet floor and kneeling on it. She whispered, "Listen very closely to me, Malfoy. I will eventually destroy her if you leave me no other choice. You cannot stop me from inside of this prison, but if you tell me what I want to hear, I won't need her; I can leave her unharmed."

Lucius held his silence.

Ginny continued, "You are just as despicable as I am, sacrificing that mousy little swot to keep me from gaining more power than you." Ginny stood and kicked her soiled cloak into the cell. "This is a gift for you from a mutual acquaintance of ours, Mr. Malfoy. I want you to keep warm and alive because my victory will taste much sweeter if you live to see it."

Lucius waited until the sound of Ginny's footfalls faded completely into silence before snatching the discarded cloak from the floor and wrapping himself in it. He whispered into the empty darkness, "You won't get my Morgana, you little shrew. She's always been able to outsmart you." He laughed like a man unhinged before sobbing into his hands.

HG**LM

Hermione fled down the stairs and rummaged through the cloakroom. She had overslept, and now she was late for her trip to The Burrow with the Weasleys. She'd had terrible dreams throughout the night, and she was hoping that leaving London and Sirius' ancestral home behind for a few weeks would help her to clear her mind of guilt and anxiety.

The dreams that had been sexual and depraved in nature directly after she was cursed were now becoming more violent and morbid. Whereas some part of them had been pleasurable before, she now felt overwhelming terror. The man now died in her dreams every night. She still couldn't make out his face, but he seemed to have blonde hair on most nights. He repeatedly begged her to save his life before the sounds of his agonizing screams and the flash of green light filled her mind, causing her to awaken.

Not finding her cloak, she slammed the door and leaned against it helplessly. Everyone was in the kitchen waiting for her, so she ran back to the room she shared with Ginny to Transfigure a blanket into something she could wear.

Just as Hermione threw the makeshift raincoat over her shoulders, Ginny appeared in the doorway. "Hermione? What are you doing? It's time to leave."

Hermione sounded exasperated. "I know, and I'm sorry, but my cloak has gone missing, and I needed to replace it with something. It was such a good cloak, too. Victor sent it to me. It surely cost him a fortune." She pouted.

Ginny could barely keep from rolling her eyes. "I think you're being too dramatic, Hermione, and it's not even very cold right now."

Hermione immediately argued, "But it's raining."

"Then use an umbrella!" Ginny countered.

"My cloak is charmed to keep me dry, it regulates my temperature for maximum comfort, and I love it. What is your problem this morning?"

"I'm fine. You're the one making a fuss over nothing! I heard you shouting in your sleep again last night, so don't hang your problems on me."

Hermione looked close to tears. "That was a bit harsh, Ginny. You know that I'm still trying to come to terms with what happened."

Ginny sighed, feigning disinterest, but she was really very interested in what was going on in Hermione's head. It was, after all, possible that Merlin was to blame. "Okay, I'm sorry I said it like that, but you do need to get a grip. Did you dream about Sirius again?"

"I've told you before that it's not Sirius. I think it's Draco Malfoy." Hermione fidgeted while gnawing on her bottom lip. Only Ginny knew about her passing fascination with Draco.

Ginny failed to suppress a laugh. "Draco? That's ridiculous. So what if you had a crush on him and his dad tried to kill us? It's awkward, but it doesn't make sense. You said the man in your dreams was older and that he was dying. You're obviously not over what happened between you and Sirius in the summer—I mean . . ."

"Shut up!" Hermione shouted. "You promised not to mention that ever again, Ginny!"

Ginny threw up her hands. "Fine! I'll never again mention the fact that you are only sixteen, but you already have a dead lover. Can we leave now?"

Hermione stomped past Ginny while mumbling, "It wasn't like that, and you know it. Mention it again, and I'll tell your mum that you were gone last night."

Ginny sneered and followed Hermione down the stairs, secretly wishing for the older girl to trip and fall on her face.


	10. Chapter 9: The Lestrange Vault

Chapter 9: The Lestrange Vault

Hermione was in love with Ron, and he was sleeping less than three meters away from her at a quaint, comfortable cottage by the beach. Under normal circumstances she would most definitely ask him to go on a walk with her along the water. She would brush her tangled hair before he had the chance to awaken, finding her disheveled, dressed in strange clothes, and staring at him from across the room.

Love of the sort that she was contemplating should be the last thing on her mind after the lives that they had lost. The mission close at hand was critical, and she knew they'd be lucky to make it out of Gringotts alive. Turning to the window, she rubbed the walnut wand that was clutched too tightly in her nervous hands. The darkest witch that she had ever had the displeasure of meeting had owned it, and now Hermione was expected to wield the deadly wand along with the vicious personality of Bellatrix Lestrange. While she kept telling Harry and Ron that the wand felt wrong, there was a part of her that was curious about it. She'd sooner die than admit to the boys that it was a fascinating object that called to her as much as it disgusted her.

HG**LM

"Bella mentioned something about a golden goblet being taken from her Gringotts vault, and the Dark Lord is furious."

Severus looked up from his book to see Lucius standing over him with a sour expression. "Was there a question somewhere in that statement, Lucius?"

Lucius' actions were calm and firm as he reached for Severus' book, closed it, and put it on a nearby table. "I need your full attention. This is important."

Severus said, "The walls have ears."

Lucius nodded. "Yes, but this is still my house, and I assure you that we are alone . . . I need to know about this goblet. What are its magical properties? Where did it come from? Why do they need it? Does Ginny Weasley have access to it?"

Severus folded his hands into his lap and spoke to Lucius as if he were trying to keep his patience with an inquiring student. "You look like you haven't seen a razor or a bar of soap in two weeks, yet you wish to be involved in a situation that has recently increased the Dark Lord's homicidal tendencies? Go take care of yourself and talk to Draco. I can handle this without you."

"I need to know this, Severus."

Severus sighed. "Let it go . . . Pull yourself together. You've been wearing the same cloak since you left Azkaban, for Circe's sake!"

Lucius didn't hesitate. He simply nodded in agreement and said, "I know. I'm in the process of rectifying things now, and I've been wearing this cloak on purpose; it was Hermione's. Ginny Weasley threw it into my cell at the prison, but I didn't notice the name inside for weeks . . . All of this is irrelevant. I know you can tell me what I want to know."

Severus shook his head. "Are you hearing yourself? You must have lost your mind because the Lucius Malfoy I know would not wear a tattered cloak at all—let alone for months—no matter to whom it had belonged."

"That doesn't matter now! My present and urgent concern is that I need to know if that goblet of the Dark Lord's is actually the Hufflepuff Cup! I need to know if it's gone, and I need to know who has it now!"

Severus looked at Lucius as if seeing him as a wizard for the first time in months. "I am fairly certain that Potter has it, and that it is essential to his success."

"Then he knows its true power?"

"I'm more surprised that you know its true power," Severus breathed.

Lucius' tone became even more hushed. "Look—I don't know how any of you found out about the Grail, but this situation needs to be handled delicately."

There was a long pause before new understanding laced with a hint of disbelief flashed across Severus' face. Lucius remained deep in thought.

"None of us knew it was the Grail until this moment. It is valuable to the Dark Lord for another purpose." Severus shook his head as if to clear it. "Bloody hell! You can't mean _the_ Grail."

Lucius nodded. "Yes, but the Weasley girl is apparently the only other person aware of that fact."

Severus regained his composure and interrupted, "As of now, she does not have access to it. She is at Hogwarts and it is with Potter . . . but I will keep this information in mind."

"Thank you, Severus."

HG**LM

_Merlin knew better than most men that even a king with a reputation for equality and benevolence was still someone to be feared, and Arthur was not likely to be generous with him as he and his apprentice were moments away from delivering the worst report possible about the Grail; it was lost to the king forever. _

_Even though Merlin feared punishment for relaying false information, he also knew that it was the best possible course of action. He and Arthur had both misjudged Nimue, so they were no longer worthy of possessing the Grail. _

_He gave Morgana's hand a firm squeeze as to comfort her for she knew it, too. Even though she possessed more bravery than most seasoned and powerful wizards with whom he had crossed paths, mingling with royalty had always caused her some anxiety. With the anticipation of the king's response consuming her thoughts, she was barely coherent. _

_Followed by a fidgety Morgana, Merlin kneeled before the throne. His quiet voice echoed throughout the still chamber. "My lord." _

_Arthur gestured sharply for the wizard and his apprentice to rise, but remained silent. _

_Morgana tried not to look directly at the king, but the nobles surrounding her with their finery, smirks, and growing whispers forced her gaze to remain forward. Wishing to be anywhere else in the world, her eyes followed a movement from the throne, and she locked eyes with the king as he received a chalice of wine from a young maid. _

_The king studied her for a long moment before speaking. "Tell me where to find the Grail."_

_Merlin began to answer, but Arthur hissed, "Silence, Merlin! I know what you told my knights. I want to hear what your mate has to say." _

_Morgana stammered out a quiet reply. "My-my lord, I'm not . . . I'm his apprentice." _

"_Is that so? And I suppose you'll also tell me that Nimue has fled with the Grail?" _

"_Yes, my lord." Morgana chewed her lips, and Arthur's eyes rested on them as they became moist and plump. _

_Arthur then turned his attention to Merlin. "If you wish to keep this maiden of yours in your charge, then you will find and return my property."_

_Merlin held his voice steady. "You wish to execute my apprentice?" _

"_No. She will live here and serve me. You owe me that after your other witch stole from the kingdom." _

"_But she was _your_ witch . . ." Morgana's trembling voice rang out in midst of the exchange between king and wizard, and they both turned to her. _

_Gasps erupted from the masses, but were silenced as the resounding clap of Merlin's hand across Morgana's face filled the air. _

_With Merlin's quick gesture, Arthur's displeasure at Morgana's comment dissipated enough that he leaned back in his chair and addressed her calmly. "Never speak unless you are spoken to, girl. If you were a servant in my house—and you may soon be—you would know how to conduct yourself around your betters." Addressing Merlin, he added, "Leave me." _

_HG **LM_

_With a gentle wave of her hand, Morgana deactivated the wards around the hearth and furiously clawed away one loose stone after another until she pulled the Grail out of the secluded crevice that Merlin had created for it weeks before. _

_Turning to the door with the cup in her arms, Morgana jumped at the sight of Merlin watching her with furious eyes from the doorway. _

_She stood frozen with fear, but the tears staining her cheeks were shed out of deep sorrow. Finding her words, she cried, "I must take it to him, or he'll take me and kill you." _

_Merlin's anger abated as he crept toward his crying lover. "I already have a plan in place. This power is more important than you or me, Morgana. I must go with him on a quest, but first I will deliver the Grail into the hands of powerful allies. It will be hidden well, out of our hands, and out of Arthur's possession as well." _

_Morgana asked, "What kind of quest?"_

"_As you know, there has been talk between the most powerful wizards of going to Persia on another mission. I've managed to convince the king that Nimue has fled there already. He and his knights will follow me." Merlin had a dangerous look in his eyes. _

_Morgana understood. "Will you kill him?" _

"_Not necessarily. If his threats cease, then I see no reason that everyone cannot have a safe return, but I have planned for more than one outcome." As he spoke to her, he gripped the Grail that was still held tight within her arms. "Let go." _

_She held fast. "I'm afraid." _

"_I won't let him have you." _

"_You hurt me today." _

"_You gave me no choice." _

"_I know." _

"_I'm sorry." With his apology, Merlin kissed Morgana's bruised cheek. _

_The Grail grew warm in her hands, comforting her. She let go. _

HG**LM

As Hermione and Ron flew high above the Room of Hidden Things in furious retreat from Fiendfyre, Hermione noticed a small shiny object as it slipped from Ron's pocket.

The misshapen piece of metal was all that remained of the great Hufflepuff Cup after she had stabbed it with a Basilisk's fang, banishing one more fragment of Voldemort's stained soul from the world.

The Horcrux had tormented Ron in the same way as did the Slytherin Locket, but Hermione had not been affected in the same way. She had felt that there was something more significant about that Horcrux above all of the others. She had been both excited and nervous when Ron had first suggested that she should be the one to destroy it. She had hoped to destroy the soul fragment without hurting the object itself. She had been disappointed when the cup had become bent and contorted, but she had nevertheless insisted that they not leave it in the chamber.

Even now, the cup grew warm in her hands, comforting her. She had a vague premonition of letting it go, so she held it closer.


	11. Chapter 10: Harry's Fate Is Sealed

Chapter 10: Harry's Fate Is Sealed

Lucius Malfoy embraced his wife and son as they sat at a crowded table in the Great Hall. They were effectively hidden from scrutiny among the throngs of innocent and wounded survivors. Some appeared to be in shock while others were simply relieved to be holding their friends and loved ones close. Hermione failed to observe the Malfoys as she stumbled right past them and through a cluster of hysterical students, who were all asking repeatedly after Harry.

Narcissa's eyes followed Hermione until the crowd dispersed. Taking the earliest opportunity to gain the girl's attention, she summoned her courage, abandoned decorum, and screamed, "Miss Granger, wait!"

Hermione halted at the sound of her name and turned back, seeing the Malfoys scramble to their feet and approach. Lucius and Draco followed the Malfoy matriarch closely as if they were afraid to leave Narcissa alone, but they remained silent as she began to struggle for words.

Hermione felt discomfort in facing the disheveled aristocratic mother of her childhood enemy. She shifted her eyes nervously to the left and hoped for the moment to pass quickly, but she then caught the eye of Lucius. He did not look away, and neither did she until she realized that Mrs. Malfoy had finally spoken.

Hermione recovered her wits and replied, "Pardon me, Mrs. Malfoy. I'm still a bit shaken. Did you ask me something?"

Narcissa drew a long breath and repeated, "Severus . . . Where is he? Is he alive?"

Hermione didn't even have to form the words before Narcissa began to whimper softly into Draco's shoulder. The look on her face told the Malfoys that Snape was dead. She bowed her head and whispered, "I'm so sorry. He bled out so fast, and the venom . . . He saved us all. We've already discussed recovering his body as soon as possible tonight."

Lucius asked, "He's still in the Shrieking Shack, isn't he?"

Narcissa turned to Lucius in desperation. "How did it happen? Did he suffer?"

There was more sincerity in his voice and expression than Hermione had ever seen in a Malfoy. "I don't know, Cissy. The Dark Lord called for Severus near the end. I didn't stay to witness. I was more concerned with our son."

Narcissa turned back to Hermione with the question still in her eyes.

Hermione answered, "Well, we could see that he was in pain from Nagini's attack. He ordered—almost begged—Harry to look at him in his last moment, and then we could see the life leaving his eyes as he just watched Harry. He seemed to accept it." As the words came falling from her lips, Hermione knew that they were true, and she was surprised at the loss she felt for former professor.

Narcissa turned her head into Lucius' chest, grabbing fists full of his cloak and burying her face. She didn't make a sound, but her trembling betrayed the anguish she felt over the death of her lover.

With his wife in his arms, Lucius regarded Hermione with an expression that was both respectful and insistent. "Miss Granger, are you in possession of the Hufflepuff Cup?"

She hesitated, but her reflexes had already betrayed the answer, and Lucius' eyes fell upon Hermione's hand that had automatically slid to cover her pocket when he had asked the question.

Lucius continued, "Take it from this place as soon as you can. It is more dangerous than you understand."

Hermione didn't know why she chose to admit anything to him, but she said, "The evil in it has been destroyed."

"Listen to me carefully, Miss Granger. There is no known force that can destroy the magic in that artifact. It is far more ancient than Hogwarts or its founders. Take it from here before it falls into the wrong hands."

As always, she became curious. "If it's older than Hogwarts, where did it . . ."

Lucius interrupted her, but he did so with the patience of someone used to dealing with her inquisitive nature. "All will become clear to you in time, Miss Granger. I cannot speak of it here. Believe what I say."

There was something familiar about his tone that prompted Hermione to trust in his words. She nodded and said, "I'll tell Harry now," but Lucius stopped her as she immediately turned to leave.

"Hermione!"

Lucius' use of her first name both surprised and moved Hermione. She turned back to see that Narcissa had ceased her silent tears and was looking up at Lucius in surprise. Draco was also staring at his father, but Lucius didn't see his family in that moment because he was focused on Hermione. The intensity with which he regarded her caused Hermione's breathing to quicken, and she felt a sudden power in herself that was almost sensual as he continued to simply look at her.

Neither one of them meant to remain silent for as long as they did, but Hermione felt like the center of the universe as the warmth she felt in her body crept into her face, giving her cheeks a radiant blush.

It was a need for recognition that motivated Lucius. He was growing weary of waiting for her to truly know him. Reality called to him with the clearing of Draco's throat.

Lucius quickly thought of something to say to her that would keep her from consulting her friends. "I think Mr. Potter has been burdened with enough, don't you? Sharing what I have told you here with your friends will only make danger for them and their families . . . I'm sorry that you are involved, but it couldn't be helped since you are in possession of the artifact. You best let someone less connected to you handle it, but someone you would still trust with your life. Perhaps Kingsley Shacklebolt can see it placed safely in a Ministry vault or archive?"

"I can't trust you." Hermione knew in her heart that she did trust his words, but she had to be cautious. It was a bizarre request, and the Malfoys hated her.

"But you trust Shacklebolt," said Lucius' deadpan and quiet voice.

She only nodded before a commotion broke out all around them, and the Malfoys gathered together defensively.

Various people had appeared with their wands drawn. There were several Aurors and Ministry officials whom she did not know, but the also recognized some Order members. Harry was with them, too. Ron, Luna, Neville, and Ginny followed him.

An unknown Auror was speaking to his colleagues concerning Draco. "The younger Malfoy is still in Hogwarts and will be pardoned due to his circumstances." He was obviously in charge. The others immediately followed his orders and pointed their wands away from Draco. He continued, "Narcissa Malfoy. If you can clear your name by proving that you do not bear the Dark Mark, I insist you do so at this time."

Narcissa slowly raised her sleeve, revealing her unmarked forearm. She pleaded, "Please show mercy to my husband. He had no choice. He—he was cursed! I'm sure that he was cursed. The Dark Lord threatened to murder our son and repeatedly turned his wand on us." She then appealed to Harry. "Harry Potter. I saved you. Have mercy on my family."

Harry nodded. "I promise to do what I can, Mrs. Malfoy."

The Auror announced, "Lucius Malfoy, you are an escapee of Azkaban Prison and a known Death Eater. You are under arrest."

Lucius surrendered easily as his wife and son were forced to make way for the Aurors to restrain him. The usual pride and haughtiness of the Malfoy family was replaced with visible exhaustion and hopelessness. Only Lucius seemed to be relieved. His family would not join him in prison, the Dark Lord was gone from their home and their lives, and he knew that Narcissa would find a way to lessen is sentence in Azkaban.

As Lucius was taken away, Narcissa spoke to Draco, "I'm going home. There are arrangements to be made and things to which I must attend for your father . . . and for Severus."

"I'll stay here, Mum. I can go with Granger and the others to get Uncle Severus as soon as everyone is taken care of in here." Draco gave her hand a final caress and watched her make her way through the destruction surrounding them. She was utterly expressionless, her pale skin and drab clothing making her look like one of Hogwarts' ghost welcoming the recent dead.

Harry watched him look after her a moment before commenting. "I know you're worried about your mum, Malfoy. You don't have to stay here with us. We'll take care of things."

"I'm not looking for your sympathy, Potter. I know my mother. She needs to be alone now, and I need to help here. Unfortunately, I owe you." Draco was forcing himself back into a sense of normalcy. There was a hint of his old attitude in his voice, but it was apparent to everyone present that he wasn't the same; his intent had changed.

Ginny emerged from behind Harry. "We don't want you here, Malfoy. You are a disgrace, and I hope they give your father to the Dementors!"

Draco didn't look bothered. He simply answered, "None of you would be standing here if it wasn't for my mother."

Ginny actually snarled. "That doesn't change anything!"

Luna's dreamy, yet solid voice broke into the conversation. "Actually, it does change things. It changes things quite a bit. With one act, Mrs. Malfoy saved Harry. He then defeated Voldemort. That has to count for something significant. Besides, they didn't run. They could have fled, admitting guilt and gaining freedom. They certainly have the means to disappear. The fact that Draco is here and offering to help is all of the proof that I need. I trust him to help us."

Neville, Ron, and Hermione seemed to understand Luna's reasoning, but they remained silent and looked to Harry for the final verdict. Ginny concentrated on Luna as if she meant to kill her with a look.

Harry said, "I agree. Don't you think that this feud between certain families has gone on for too long, Ginny? This could be a fresh start and a chance to put away old hatred."

Ginny looked desperate. "Harry Potter! This boy is a Death Eater!"

"I really don't think that he had a choice, Ginny."

She still didn't back down. "Then what about his father? Why did you promise that Malfoy twat that you would save him?"

Hermione got tired of listening to Ginny. There were things to be done, and with Harry's blessing, Draco would be included. She said, "Harry didn't promise to save Mr. Malfoy. He promised to do what he can. Even if Mr. Malfoy avoids prison and the Dementors, I'm sure that there will be a price to pay. We could use Draco's help now. You can argue with Harry later."

Ginny said, "Nobody asked you, Hermione," but she nevertheless followed the group of friends as they ignored her. They went to check on others in need before eventually making their way to the Shrieking Shack.

LM**HG

Dumbledore's tomb stood as formidable and stoic as the man himself, towering above the petite girl as she studied it with malice, greed, and patience.

Ginny needed patience now. Power in the Wizarding world had shifted. An era had ended. She was still aligned with the most popular side, but her plan would need adjusting. She hadn't expected Harry to return the Elder Wand to Dumbledore.

Who refuses a gift such as that?

Harry Potter.

He was even more righteous that she could have imagined. She had tried to convince him that he could have used it for the greater good. He hadn't listened. It had been then that she had realized that she would never be able to tempt him with the Grail.

Where was the Grail? She had seen it during the final battle with Hermione and Ron. She had asked Harry about it, but he hadn't seemed interested in recalling the details of that day.

It was too risky to question him further. She had to keep him interested in her.

Harry wanted a normal life. He wanted her to be a normal wife and raise normal children. It made her ill just thinking about it.

She had no hope of molding him into a decent partner, which meant that she would have to dispose of him even sooner than previously expected. It was a pity. He already had so much power, notoriety, and influence. She could have used him for much longer, but at least she could gain the Elder Wand for herself when the time came to kill him.

Ginny stayed at the tomb for hours, lamenting the loss of such a powerful tool and reworking her ideas into a better plan.


	12. Chapter 11: Hermione's Silent Struggle

Chapter 11: Hermione's Silent Struggle

Hermione reclined on the warm and comfortable sofa at Harry and Ginny's London home, looking over the top of a novel she was reading and staring into the flickering hearth.

The book in her hands was an Arthurian tale that had been sent to her from an anonymous admirer for her birthday. It had arrived that morning. Anonymous gifts had been a fairly common occurrence since the end of the war, but she had thought it a curious and pleasant coincidence because she had dreamed of a similar story the night prior. However, she had begun to grow uneasy with each passing hour. As glimpses of foggy, fragmented scenes from what seemed to be someone else's life seeped into her conscious thoughts, she couldn't help herself from reliving the last part of her dream.

_Wearing only a fine cotton shift, she straddled a man in bed. The warmth that she felt had nothing to do with the fire smoldering in the background or the soft blankets that surrounded her lover, covering her glistening thighs. She was riding him deep, hard, and hungrily as she delighted in the feel of his hands, which were grazing her skin lightly as they gathered the material of her simple garment and lifted it over her head._

Her lover met each of her movements with a subtle thrust of his own hips as his hands continued to explore her moistening skin that glowed in the firelight. Holding her in place, he suddenly lifted himself from the bed and pressed his mouth to her breast.

When she felt his teeth slide against her nipple, she plunged both of her hands into his silky blonde hair, gripping it tightly at the roots and jerking his head back so that she could see his face. She wanted to kiss him deeply, but something in his eyes startled her . . .

That's how Hermione had awakened that morning; she had looked into her dream lover's eyes to discover Lucius Malfoy staring back at her. She had found herself panting and covered in sweat when she had opened her eyes to reality. It had been the hottest sex of her life, but it had been a dream that involved a man she despised. Well, she thought she despised him. She wasn't sure anymore.

Names, images, sounds, voices, and even fragrances echoed faintly through her mind, gradually solidifying into pieces of memories that seemed like they had always been there even though she knew that to be impossible. She kept thinking of herself by another name.

Morgana.

When she saw Lucius Malfoy in her memories, she was always calling him "Merlin."

The memories assaulting her mind had to be hers, but they were not. She was scared and worried that she was finally getting a taste of the same mental problems that some of the other war survivors had been dealing with since the final battle. She just wanted to make sense of it, but she couldn't. She instead took some deep breaths, calmed herself, and decided to let it be for the moment. She hoped that her mind would go back to normal if she didn't let the stress get to her.

Putting aside the book as if it disgusted her, she stretched her arms above her head, yawned, and turned to greet footsteps that echoed just outside of the door.

Harry, Ginny, and Ron assembled at the door, looking into the room at Hermione and smiling in spite of their attempts to keep straight faces until Ron revealed the cake that he was hiding behind his back.

As he revealed the cake, Hermione laughed at the mess he made with the icing. It was sticking to both of his sleeves, but his smile stayed in place, becoming a bit sheepish. He laughed nervously and said, "Happy birthday, Hermione!"

Harry and Ginny shouted the greeting in unison with one another and offered her a beautifully decorated box.

Hermione knew that this should be an important moment for her, so she fought to keep her focus on Ron and how happy it made her to be a part of his family. Smiling, she accepted the cake, kissed Ron on the cheek, and walked to the kitchen, saying, "This is so lovely. Did you decorate it yourself?"

Ron nodded and said, "With the help of Mum and Ginny, of course."

Sitting the cake on the table, Hermione said, "I can't wait to taste it . . . Will you hand me a knife, Harry."

Harry sat her gift on the table and turned to fetch a knife. "What do you want to do today, Hermione? Ginny and I have the whole day free. We didn't plan anything because we know you've been busy lately, and we didn't want to drag you around London all day if you're knackered."

Ginny interrupted, "But maybe opening your gift will help you decide what we do today."

Hermione handed everyone slices of cake and sat down with hers. "Alright. Pass me the gift. The box looks so beautiful that I feel bad about opening it, but it has to be opened sometime, I suppose."

She pulled away the ribbons and opened the lid to discover a beautiful new dress that had to be from Ron, but underneath the dress, there was a golden slip of parchment that read, "Good for 100 Galleons at Flourish and Blotts."

Hermione went around the table, hugging her friends before embracing Ron. "Thank you all for the wonderful gifts. They're wonderful. Ron, that dress . . . I can't believe you remembered it. Of course, I want to wear it today. We'll go shopping and have a nice supper this evening before coming back here if everyone is agreeable?" She looked to her friends before turning back to Ron with a smile that was too perfect to be genuine.

HG**LM

Lucius accompanied his son to Diagon Alley, getting out of his home for the first time in ages. Not only did the Ministry of Magic periodically monitor his travel, but also Draco rarely invited him anywhere. He'd usually prefer to pass his time alone with a book, but this particular day was special. It was Hermione's birthday, and he couldn't contain his nerves while just sitting in his study. He needed some fresh air and company.

While Draco negotiated with some young chap over the sale of a new racing broom, Lucius stood at the edge of the street and watched the passersby. He was about to turn back into the store and tell Draco that they needed to hurry if they wanted to make it to the Apothecary in time to purchase Astoria's beauty cream, which she had dared them to forget with a menacing smile when she had met them for lunch earlier in the day. Something he saw out of the corner of his eye made him temporarily forget about Astoria; it made him forget about Draco as well.

Hermione Granger stood just on the opposite side of the street with two of the Weasley brats and Harry Potter. Lucius wondered briefly why he could never seem to catch her out in public alone. Lucius stifled a groan, clenched his fists for a moment, and let out a breath, making a conscious choice not to let her unfortunate choice of company upset him.

He smiled to himself as she entered the bookstore while the rest of her company chose to visit the pet shop instead. Stealthily rushing across the street, Lucius slowed to a walk as he entered the bookstore and slid behind the closest shelf. He picked a random book and opened it to about the center as he looked around the store for Hermione while pretending to read. He felt a bit silly in doing so; he'd usually not conduct himself in such a way, but this particular situation was unorthodox and a bit delicate. He couldn't confront her in his usual manner without knowing if she recognized him as Merlin.

She appeared directly in his line of sight. She didn't see him yet, but if she kept walking, she'd pass within inches of him. There was a bench directly behind him, so he sat down and kept his eyes on her.

Hermione noticed a pair of grey eyes peering at her over the top of a book. She stopped and stared back at the man, realizing that it was Lucius Malfoy. She stood there witless with a blank smile on her face as she imagined them together in her dream.

Lucius could easily understand from the look on her face what she was thinking, and smirked at her, which did not produce a response from the young witch. He stifled a small chuckle when he realized that she was completely lost in thought. He then slowly lowered the book and closed it with a loud snap, his eyes still lingering on hers.

The sudden sound of the book closing interrupted Hermione's daydream about all of the intimate things she wanted to do to Merlin—or was it Lucius? She was mortified to realize that she had been staring at Lucius and that he had obviously noticed. She shuddered at the understanding that he was now licking his lips just to toy with her.

In an effort to ignore the awkward situation, she looked away from him and began to walk past him rather quickly.

His voice stopped her with a strong and clear inquiry. "Are you enjoying your birthday, Miss Granger?"

She snapped her body around to face him. "How did you . . . are you speaking to me?"

Lucius made a show of looking around the room. "I don't see any other Miss Grangers."

There was a long pause as Lucius simply smiled at Hermione. She expected him to say something more to her—something like an explanation for his behavior.

She finally asked, "How did you know that today is my birthday?"

He thought for a short moment, wanting to gauge how much she knew and how she would handle it. It was too risky to tell her everything, but he felt like making a somewhat bold move nonetheless. "Why wouldn't I? I'm sure that if you thought for a moment, you could recall mine. Quickly, tell me the first date that pops into your mind."

Hermione's temper flared. "No! What are you playing at, Mr. Malfoy? My most memorable connection with you is that I was tortured in your home by your sister-in-law, and that is something that I wish I couldn't remember."

Lucius was no longer smiling. "I regret that I couldn't help you more on that day, but I knew you would prevail, and you did. You always do."

Hermione felt like ripping out her hair. Lucius Malfoy had practically apologized to her and complemented her without being forced to do so. She was frustrated with him, but her anger slowly faded away as she remembered the genuine and quiet tone of his voice. She couldn't help associating it with her dreams, or were they memories?

The most unsettling aspect of her entire situation was that she actually did remember his birthday. It had just passed three days ago.

She knew the date just as well as she knew Harry's birthday, but why did she know it? Why was that seemingly insignificant piece of information wandering around in her mind along with that other name? She kept those questions to herself and tried to think of something to say.

Wanting to leave without further unpleasantness, Hermione finally said, "I am having a lovely day, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you for asking. I have to go meet my friends now, so . . ."

Not wanting to let her go without some verbal confirmation, Lucius said, "I don't think our conversation will be complete until I hear you say the month and the day of my birth."

Hermione barely had time to think. "February sixteenth."

Lucius' smirk reappeared. "You are not a very convincing liar, Miss Granger. I could see you struggle to come up with the wrong answer, and you weren't even completely successful . . . The sixteenth of what month?"

Hermione was back on the defensive. "I happen to be a very convincing liar, which was unfortunate for your allies during the war . . . Just because you—you are the father of lies, you think you know what I'm thinking!"

Hearing Lucius confirm that she was right about the day made Hermione even more nervous than before. It was disconcerting enough to know the date in her mind, but saying it out loud was a completely different matter. She could not say the rest. She could not say it to him because she refused to accept all of the inconsistencies suddenly fogging up her mind. She had to leave.

Lucius simply held his composure and waited.

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy," she managed to whisper as she ran from him.

She was still walking too fast and mumbling to herself when she crossed paths with Draco Malfoy as he approached the bookstore in search of Lucius.

Draco called out to her. "Granger? Are you okay?"

She stopped and stared at him, her mind clearing enough to recognize Draco and to take in his words. She said, "September sixteenth."

Draco answered, "No, Granger. Today is the nineteenth."

She said, "I know what day it is, Malfoy. I just . . . never mind."

He shook his head at her and said, "Whatever. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Don't mention what I said to you to anyone, okay?" Hermione said.

Draco was confused. "You didn't really say anything."

Hermione nodded impatiently and answered, "Right, but don't mention it anyway. I've got to go. Bye."

Draco watched her leave. "Bye, Granger." As Lucius walked up to him, he added, "Father, if it's true that there is a thin line between intelligence and insanity, I think Granger may be in trouble."

Lucius joined his son in watching Hermione hurry down the alley. "What did she tell you?"

Draco answered, "Nothing really. She asked me if today was September sixteenth and then told me not to tell anyone she asked."

Lucius smirked as they headed to the Leaky Cauldron.

HG**LM

It had been a long and confusing day for Hermione, but she was still determined to consider it a success. She had enjoyed the gifts and the time spent with friends, and she was still looking forward to a late supper with everyone.

As they all sat around the kitchen at Harry's Grimmauld Place home, Hermione thought about how lucky she was to have Harry and the Weasleys. She thought again that maybe she was developing some mental illness or side effect from the war, but dismissed the idea of mentioning anything. They all deserved to be happy after all, and she didn't want to burden anyone or make fuss over nothing.

Ginny's voice called to Hermione, bringing her back into the conversation. "Hermione, do you remember what happened to the Hufflepuff Cup?"

"What?" Hermione asked. It was obvious to everyone that she hadn't been listening.

Ginny explained, "We were talking about all of the magical artifacts we came across during our time at Hogwarts."

Ron interrupted, "Loads of them. We were always in the wrong place at the wrong time, or in the right place at the right time. Either way, we saw more during our Hogwarts years than most wizards see in a lifetime . . . Wicked, right?"

Hermione smiled weakly. "I suppose so."

Ginny said, "Anyway, none of us could remember what happened to the Hufflepuff Cup in the end."

Hermione sighed and said, "It's in the Department of Mysteries. I think there is a group of Unspeakables assigned to observe and test it, but I'm not sure. I haven't seen it since the end of the battle. I gave it to Kingsley."

Ginny smiled and said, "Oh, well it's not important or anything. We were just curious."

There was something about Ginny's demeanor that gave Hermione a sudden chill. She then had a passing thought that she shouldn't have said anything about the cup in front of Ginny and that it was important for some reason. Thinking back to Lucius Malfoy's insistence that she keep it safe and his reappearance in her life today, she became uncomfortable and changed the subject.

After all, Ginny was going to be her sister-in-law, and everything in her life was coming together well. She took Ron's hand and said, "I'm actually getting tired. Do you want to come with me upstairs?"

Ron smiled knowingly. "You know that I do."

Hermione pulled him along after her, hoping that some time in bed with her lover would make her forget the strange events of the day.

She also needed to forget _him_.


	13. Chapter 12: Order of Merlin

Chapter 12: Order of Merlin

_Merlin's eldest sister, Lady Pagan Malfoy, rushed down the cold corridor, alarmed at shrill wails and moans echoing throughout her ancient family home. Her desperation to get to Morgana's bed grew when the piercing noise suddenly stopped. As she approached the doorway, she almost collided with the midwife, who was holding a baby girl in her arms. _

"_You have a strong new niece, but I can't say the same for her mother." The midwife placed the child into Pagan's arms. "You'll need a nurse." _

_Pagan replied, "What's wrong with Morgana?" _

"_I doubt she'll survive the night. She is weak," the old woman said with no hint of sympathy. _

"_That's ridiculous. Witches do not die in childbirth," said Pagan. She smiled at the baby and held her close. _

_The midwife sneered. "Yes, but that woman comes from Muggles, and she is a peasant. She has no name, no husband, and no respectable family in this kingdom. I have cleaned, mended, and fed her, but she hasn't the will to survive." _

"_Thank you for your services. Please leave this house now. My husband will send payment immediately," Pagan said in a harsh tone. _

"_I meant no disrespect to you, Lady Malfoy," she said with no hint of real emotion. _

"_This child is my brother's only heir. She and her mother are both my family now. Morgana is a powerful witch, and everyone will know that someday." She turned away from the old woman in a dismissive manner, singing sweetly to the child. _

_The midwife stood in place and continued to speak. "For double the payment, I will not speak to Queen Guinevere about the child or its mother." _

"_Pippi, take the child and go see to your mistress!" Pagan handed the baby to Morgana's beloved house-elf and turned back to the midwife. "You know who I am. You know who my husband is, yet you dare threaten me in my own home?" _

_The midwife drew her wand, but it felt like only a useless twig in her hands. Pagan cackled as she drew hers. "You stupid crone! My brother's enchantments on this house won't allow you to curse me!" _

"_Impossible! That kind of magic doesn't exist." _

"_Merlin was a great wizard from a family of great wizards. He made the impossible possible. That's why he was King Arthur's favorite, and that's why the Queen seeks his knowledge now. And then you—an insignificant old shrew—walk into my home and think that you can put his legacy in danger? Your ignorance will cost you your life." Pagan was seething, and her wand was aimed steadily at the old woman's heart. _

"_You . . . y—you can't hurt me! My son . . . he's a knight. He'll come for me." _

_Pagan stared at the elderly midwife in pity. "No, he won't. He didn't return. Merlin, the king, your son, and many other knights are lost. Didn't you hear Gawain's story? I thought it was being retold all over the kingdom and beyond by now." _

"_He will come back!" The old woman cried. "He'll come here and avenge me! The other healers told me not to come here. They knew you were pure evil." _

"_It's too bad you didn't listen to them," she said and then screamed, "_Avada Kedavra!"

_HG**LM_

Hermione Granger, the brightest witch of her age and famous war hero, spoke to an audience that gathered in the Ministry's atrium. The Order of the Phoenix had finally been successful in securing a posthumous Order of Merlin for Severus Snape and several other witches and wizards who had fought and died bravely in the Battle of Hogwarts. She shared a brief history of the award before introducing Harry Potter, who had insisted on presenting Snape's award.

Lucius watched from the audience as his former wife, Narcissa Black, accepted the award.

Narcissa hugged both Harry Potter and Hermione Granger before addressing the audience. "In honor of this great wizard and my long-time friend, Severus Snape, the Black family and I have donated a memorial to him that will stand adjacent to the fountain. This Order of Merlin, First Class will be the centerpiece of the memorial and stay on display to the public indefinitely."

Lucius smiled at Narcissa's poise and grace. He'd always admired her, though he'd never really loved her in the way that Severus had.

He watched Narcissa and Hermione, standing together and exchanging pleasantries while the other awards were given. As the final recipient exited into the crowd, Lucius knew that he had to make another move to speak to Hermione.

"I noticed you failed to mention that Merlin is Slytherin House's most famous member. Surely that was worth noting, Miss Granger." Lucius had appeared beside Hermione, tapping his walking stick against the toe of his perfectly polished shoe while smirking at her.

"It is possible, Mr. Malfoy, that you are the most annoying wizard in Britain." Hermione boldly reached for his walking stick and held it still.

"How can you say that when there are so many Weasleys?" Lucius asked. He then put his hand over hers, preventing her from withdrawing it. "And you dare to touch my wand?"

A wave of anxiety passed through Hermione. She couldn't believe that she had done that. "I apologize. May I please have my hand back now?"

"No. You started this game, so I think it's only fair that I choose when it should end." Lucius rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb and continued, "Your speech about the origin of the Order of Merlin was quite illuminating. Where did you get your information?"

Hermione sharply replied, "The Ministry's library, but it's all fairly common knowledge. I don't see why . . ."

Lucius interrupted, "No. Not all of it."

"What?" Hermione was suddenly breathless. His touch was making her heart ache as she fought to control her thoughts.

Lucius raised his eyebrows and squeezed her hand tighter. "Ah, so you don't know what you said that has caught my attention? You may think that you remember seeing a book . . . or hearing a lecture at Hogwarts about the Order of Merlin being founded after Merlin's disappearance in order to honor his name and his ideas for building magical secrecy and protecting Muggles and the magical population alike, but that story isn't written anywhere in history."

Hermione's eyes widened. "Oh, my God. I've made a mistake. Why did I say that?"

"You said it because it's true. Contrary to the history books, Merlin did not found the Order of Merlin himself. No, someone else made all of those extraordinary achievements in his name." Lucius brought himself closer to Hermione, still holding her hand atop his walking stick.

"Who?" Hermione asked, but she already knew the answer. She felt numb.

Lucius whispered, "Morgana."

"How do you know that?" Her voice sounded small and disconnected.

Lucius said, "I don't know for sure. I wasn't there, but I think you know."

Hermione stood still for a moment before her eyes grew large and watery, and Lucius could see that the realization had struck. She started to lean into him and place her other hand on top of his, but then she stopped.

"No." She shook her head, and he let her pull away from him. "No. You've cursed me."

"You'll have an especially difficult time proving that because it isn't true. I've done nothing at all to you. I was merely congratulating you on a successful speech and offering you polite conversation," Lucius said, acting as if nothing were amiss.

Hermione took another step away, "Leave me alone!"

As she started to flee, Lucius said, "Use caution and Occlumency even with those friends whom you most trust. Someone close to you wishes you harm."

As Hermione disappeared swiftly into the crowd, Lucius noticed Ginny Weasley whisper something to Kingsley Shacklebolt. They were standing too far away for him to hear what they were saying, but the conversation looked more intimate than professional. The Minister for Magic was obviously smitten with the little tart, but she was taking her leave. Lucius followed her gaze to see what or who was drawing her attention.

Rita Skeeter stood across the atrium, waving her pink quill in the air and smiling at Ginny. Lucius got a strange feeling that he needed to find a corner or a shadow where he could watch the two witches talk without drawing too much attention to his presence. He saw that families started to gather around the fountain. Children were always fascinated with the simple art of water and magic, and it was easy for Lucius to make his way across the room by blending in with the parents and walking around the fountain.

He noticed that the two witches spoke for quite awhile as Skeeter's quill took notes. The reporter looked excited, and Ginny looked quite satisfied.

Lucius' political mind began to question the transaction. He knew that Skeeter had been writing about Harry Potter in _The Daily Prophet_ more frequently as of late, being almost too kind to the war hero and practically singing his praises. Ginny was certainly the cause of it. She had to be preparing for some sort of power play, but how was she getting Skeeter's cooperation?

Lucius' thoughts were cut short when he felt a slight tug on his cloak.

Narcissa stood behind him with a sad smile on her lips. "I'm leaving now, Lucius."

Lucius nodded and squeezed her hand. "Forgive me."

"I already have," she replied. "I'm just as guilty as you. Even though we were only following tradition, we knew better. We all knew what we were doing and what was happening. If you need anything, you can come to Marseilles. I've found a home there."

"What will I do without you, Cissy?" Lucius asked.

Narcissa sighed and smiled sadly. "Take care of Andromeda for me."

"I'm afraid not. She hasn't returned my owls. It has been three decades of silence, after all, and she seems to be doing well without us."

"I think you'll hear from her soon. Give her my love when you do. Goodbye, Lucius."

"Goodbye, Cissy . . . Tell my friend that I will miss him."

"I certainly will," Narcissa said knowingly as she turned away from him, walking out of his life forever.

_HG**LM_

_Morgana lounged on a plush bed in an opulent chamber. The Malfoy home was the finest place she had ever visited apart from King Arthur's throne room. The various wall and floor coverings were beautiful, and they made the house seem even warmer than the home that she had shared with Merlin. She could hear Pagan's children laughing and stomping through the rooms as they played together, and the house-elves were wonderful cooks and perfect companions for Pippi. It was the perfect home for her daughter. _

"_This was your father's home?" Morgana asked. _

_Pagan sighed. "Yes, well . . . Father wanted Merlin to live here and take care of it, but Merlin had other plans. When I got married, Father gave it to my husband instead." _

_She looked down at the sleeping baby in her arms and spoke to Pagan. "It's a perfect home for my baby. Her name will be Primrose Morgana Malfoy. You will say that she is yours and that you named her after me." _

"_You are trusting me with your only child?" Pagan asked. _

_Morgana sighed. "You've already killed for her once. I know you'll protect her, and I'll always be close to her as long as I'm welcome here." _

"_Of course you are always welcome here. You and my brother have created great magic, and I know that you have the best intentions for our kind's future, but are you sure that giving her to me is the best thing to do? Merlin never approved of my dark methods." Pagan was worried. _

_Morgana reached a hand out to Pagan, and she took it firmly. They sat on the bed together and watched the child continue to sleep. "For the Order of Merlin to do any good, I may sometimes have to act outside of the law. I must travel, and many meetings will be in secret. The queen is already looking for me because she thinks I have knowledge of the artifact that Arthur and Merlin were looking for when they vanished. She can't know that Merlin has a daughter. I have to finish his work for magical secrecy. I have to build a safer world for Muggles and wizards. I cannot bring my child into that sort of life. Like Arthur before her, Queen Guinevere has more riches than any other wizard or Muggle, which keeps many witches and wizards loyal to her. I also have reason to believe that this Lancelot I keep hearing about is actually a wizard . . . Prim will be safer here with you because everyone fears you." _

_Pagan kissed Morgana's forehead and stood. Leaving mother and child alone for some peace before the storm, she said, "I was always devoted to Merlin, and now you and Primrose have that devotion. You will do great things, little sister." _


	14. Chapter 13: Confrontation

Chapter 13: Confrontation

The only sound that could be heard in the lift was the crinkle of a well-used copy of the latest _Prophet_ as Lucius Malfoy ground it tighter and tighter into his fist every time someone stepped in or out of the abnormally slow-moving conveyance.

"You seem a bit impatient this morning, Lucius." The voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister for Magic, caught Lucius by surprise.

Lucius cleared his throat, offered Kingsley a curt nod, and lied. "I am a busy man, Minister, and I am unfortunately running late for a meeting in the finance department." The doors opened onto Lucius' floor, so he stepped off and said, "Good day to you, Minister."

Kingsley nodded politely to Lucius as the doors closed again.

Lucius swept down the corridor and straight into Hermione Granger's office, ignoring the secretary, who was frantically trying to gain his attention. After slamming the door in the poor secretary's face, he slapped the newspaper onto Hermione's desk and waited for her to speak first.

Hermione had already seen the unflattering picture of herself and Sirius Black holding up an inebriated Harry Potter on the front page. The photo had been taken on Christmas Eve five years ago, and she was sure that Ron had left it in a box at The Burrow with all of his other keepsakes. She had read the article, "Granger's Trail of Broken Hearts Continues" by Rita Skeeter.

"I think you should apologize to my administrative assistant before we carry on this silly conversation," Hermione stated.

Lucius ignored her statement and asked, "Are you going to allow that woman to print blatant lies about you? This could turn into a scandal, you know?"

"How is this any of your business, Mr. Malfoy? After three months, I thought you'd given up whatever plot you were hatching against me." Hermione stood up from her desk and moved around it to face Lucius directly.

Lucius made a visible effort to control his temper and smooth his voice. "Miss Granger, I'm going to be honest with you because we can't afford any misunderstandings right now. I know Rita Skeeter wrote that article about you because Ginny Weasley gave her the story and the photograph she needed to write it. Miss Weasley was more than happy to cooperate with Skeeter in exchange for good publicity for Harry Potter. Miss Weasley means to create friction between you and Mr. Potter while boosting his popularity. She wants to be closest to him, and she wants to damage your reputation by helping Rita Skeeter print disgusting lies."

"Mrs. Potter," Hermione stated.

"What?" Lucius asked sharply.

Hermione said, "Surely you've heard that Harry and Ginny are married now. You called her 'Miss Weasley.' I was correcting you."

Lucius nodded. "Of course I know that! It's why the whole situation makes perfect sense. She doesn't have to play nice—at least not as much as she did before."

Hermione nodded. In a sad tone, she replied, "Yes, that certainly seems to be the case. I'm not an idiot, Mr. Malfoy. Someone close to me had to give Skeeter the photograph, and it probably was Ginny. I usually ignore her games . . . She's done some petty things to me in the past, but nothing this serious. She'll typically do anything to make Harry look better . . . But I still don't see how this concerns you. It's between me and my friends."

"Aren't you going to a least make Skeeter print the truth and apologize to you and Mr. Potter?" Lucius asked. He started to crowd her, so she retreated until she felt a wall against her back. He swiftly slapped his hand above her shoulder and onto the wall, rendering her mute and still. "You mustn't let her gain anything over you!"

She could smell the fine leather of his glove just beside her face, but she kept her head facing forward with her eyes closed tightly. "I can't. You don't understand."

"Then make me understand." He brought his face within inches of hers. "I'm listening."

She opened her eyes, and there were tears in them. "But why are you listening? A year ago I would have cursed you for barging into my office like this, but I can't now, and I don't know why."

"That feeling in your soul that keeps you from cursing me is the same feeling that I have in my soul, telling me to be here right now. Wake up, Hermione. I'm listening." Lucius gave her a bit of space, but he remained close to her while she stayed propped against the wall.

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'm ignoring the article because it's mostly true. There was something between Sirius and I, and Harry would be upset if I didn't just let the story fade away. He doesn't know about Sirius, and it would hurt him. I don't know why Ginny didn't just tell him, but I think she's trying to distance herself from the whole thing and simply create a bit of tension . . . Maybe she won't tell him so that he can't 'shoot the messenger,' so to speak."

Lucius' face registered disgust. "You let that dog touch you?" Lucius spat.

"You went on trial for bearing the Dark Mark, murder, and the use of Unforgivable Curses, yet you stand here and judge me for something that happened to me when I was a teenager?" Hermione asked.

Lucius simply stared at her. "Surely you know my true nature by now. Not to mention the fact that I was cleared of all charges . . . I'm sorry for accusing you. What happened?"

"Sirius spent so long in prison that . . . He wasn't a bad person, but he—he was stunted in a way. He was starved for love and attention and a bit immature. We—Harry, Ron, and I—decided that we might not have another Christmas together. Voldemort had returned, and things were getting scary. We got completely pissed . . . nicked the Firewhiskey from Sirius' room. When he caught us, we thought we were in trouble, but he just helped us drink it. I remember everyone passing out, and I remember Sirius and I getting rather . . . close. Most of my memory from that night is fuzzy though. Ginny remembers more than all of us. We wouldn't give her any." Hermione laughed mirthlessly. There was a thumping noise as she let her head fall back against the wall. She looked defeated.

"So he took advantage of you?" Lucius asked.

Hermione answered, "Yes. I'm not saying that I don't share some of the guilt, but I was in no condition to consent to anything." Hermione sighed and continued, "You still don't understand. Sirius is Harry's hero. I have to be dismissive of this story. We can't bring attention to it as long as he's willing to drop it . . . and he thinks it's rubbish right now. He could possibly blame me otherwise, but I'd like to think that he wouldn't. I'm not willing to bring attention to it either way. I can't confess to Harry. If Ginny is behind this, she won't win. I'll make it disappear by not letting it bother me . . . and I know a few secrets that can help fix this, too . . . We're all used to unsavory things being printed about us. If we ignore them, people stop really believing them anyway."

Hermione looked up to see that Lucius was still staring at her. He simply stood there, studying her face for a moment before once again closing the distance between them and cupping her face with his hands. "You used to be so innocent—untouched until you knew me. Now you've seen so much terror and filth before your time."

"That wasn't me. I'm not her," Hermione whispered.

Hermione quickly found her body pressed tightly between Lucius and the wall as he pressed himself against her and kissed her hard. His hands continued to caress her cheeks and neck. She dug her fingers into his hair, and returned his kisses with a passion that she never showed to Ron or anyone else. It scared her, but she wanted more even if it was just for a moment. She wanted to hold onto the man in front of her and pretend that he was the man that she wanted him to be instead of the man that he really was.

Lucius caught his breath and whispered into her ear. "Yes, you are."

His voice rang in her ears, and she let reality call her back to her office. Then she was numb. Her body went limp, sliding to the floor and out of Lucius' arms.

He tried to catch her, but she gently nudged him away. He did not oppose her. He let her crumble to the floor and said, "Stop fighting. You are making this harder on yourself, and much more dangerous for both of us."

She cried out as if she were in pain and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to control the shaking and dizziness that threatened to overwhelm her. "I'm Hermione Granger. I'm going to marry Ron Weasley. I work for the Ministry, advocating proper treatment and creating new legislation for Magical Creatures. Harry Potter is my best friend. You and I are nothing. We aren't even enemies anymore. I used to have a crush on Draco, but I barely talk to him . . . That is who I am. I'm not her."

Lucius looked at his beloved witch, wilting before him on the floor. He withdrew a handkerchief from his robes, kneeled in front of her, and dried her tears before leaving the white cloth in her hands. He then stood. "As long as you remain in denial, I cannot tell you the danger. You are putting me in a difficult position."

Hermione looked up at him. "That's not true. Ginny wouldn't really hurt me."

Lucius' face was unreadable. "My dear, if you believed that, you wouldn't have said it . . . So you've done great things, and now you want to settle down to a life that is exactly as perfect as you imagined when you were a girl, is that right?"

She looked away. "Yes."

He continued, "But you are a woman now, and fate has different plans for you. You will not dismiss what is happening to us anymore. You will open your mind, think, and come to me ready for the truth." He opened her door to leave and added, "Until we meet again, Morgana."

Hermione continued to rest against the wall, sitting on the floor and staring into an empty room until her secretary gathered the courage to step into the doorway and ask, "Are you okay, Hermione?"

Hermione didn't stand. She put her head in her hands and said, "I'm not feeling well today. Please cancel my appointments and go home . . . and shut the door . . . now."


	15. Chapter 14: Acceptance

Chapter 14: Acceptance

Grimmauld Place was usually a dark and quiet street where Hermione could hear the click of her heels as she walked alone down the stone walkway running along the rows of homes that were well manicured even if they were plain and nondescript, but Christmas Eve transformed the usually drab surroundings of Harry's home.

Amid the colorful lights and decorations of the season, Hermione walked steadily past a group of carolers, not even noticing the pleasant tune and jovial tone of their voices. Her mind was on the Fiendfyre that had destroyed most of the Department of Mysteries that morning. The Ministry had been in an uproar all day, and she and every other person present at the time of the Fiendfye's discovery hadn't been able to leave the Ministry until the Aurors on duty had deemed everything secure.

She kept thinking of the Hufflepuff Cup. She knew it had been there. She somehow knew that it couldn't be destroyed, but was it where she thought it would be?

Harry greeted her warmly as she set foot inside of his home for the first time in months. "Happy Christmas, Hermione. I was beginning to think I'd never see you again."

Hermione hugged him. "I know! We never have time to visit anymore. I'm surprised that I didn't see you at the Ministry during today's little incident."

"I'm glad to have missed that actually." Harry said.

Hermione laughed. "If only we were both so lucky!"

Harry continued, "Not that I didn't offer to help, but the Minister ordered all of the entrances and exits locked while the Aurors tried to determine the cause. He didn't want to let in any additional personnel. I heard reports from the beginning that there were no injuries, so I didn't worry."

"It's okay, Harry. You don't have to explain. Nobody expects you to be the selfless hero all of the time." She followed Harry into the kitchen and started making them some hot chocolate.

"Is Ron coming?" Harry asked.

"He'll be along later."

He noticed her preparing three cups and said, "Ginny isn't home yet."

"Really? Isn't it a bit late for shopping?" Hermione asked with a smirk.

Harry glanced at the clock. "She should have been home by now, but you know how hectic things get at The Burrow, and Molly is preparing for everyone to eat there tomorrow."

"Right," Hermione agreed as she sipped her steaming beverage, holding it with both hands in order to warm them.

Ginny meandered into the house just then, stripping off muddy articles of clothing on her way into the kitchen.

Harry looked at her in astonishment for a second before laughing. "Blimey! Don't tell me that Molly had you working in the garden again!"

Ginny paused. She glanced at Hermione and gave a weak nod as if to greet her houseguest while using her wand to clean herself. Then as if she couldn't find her words fast enough, she stammered and answered, "Yes—yes. Mum . . . um. Mum had me in the garden again. I Apparated straight here to avoid more chores, but had I known Hermione was here, I would have washed up before leaving The Burrow."

"Didn't I mention that Ron and Hermione were popping by tonight?" Harry asked.

"I must have forgotten." Ginny turned to Hermione. "It's good to see you, Hermione. Excuse me for a moment while I go change my clothes."

Hermione only smiled as her eyes followed Ginny out of the room. Her mind was in a panic. There was something off about Ginny's behavior, and she couldn't dismiss it after the events of the day. Isolated incidents, circumstances, and images were starting to coalesce into feelings Hermione could no longer ignore.

She had to act, but there was only one way to know for sure that she wasn't crazy. There was only one way to determine her next move, and she needed to make an excuse and leave before Ginny came back downstairs.

Swallowing the last of her hot chocolate, she walked to the sink. She looked down at her cup while washing it because she couldn't look at Harry. No, she needed to look busy while she lied to him. "Harry, I'm not feeling well. I'm sorry, but I think I need to go home."

Harry looked at her in surprise. There was hurt in his voice when he said, "You don't have to go home if you are feeling ill, Hermione. You have your own room here, remember? I know you haven't been here in a long while, but you'll always have a place in my home. Why don't you rest here? Ron will be here soon."

She kept her voice monotone as she repeated, "I need to go home." She finally met Harry's eyes. "I love you, Harry, and I'm sorry. But I feel exhausted and a bit shaken after today, and I need some time alone. I'll be back tomorrow after I've had rest . . . Tell Ron not to worry—Tell him to stay here."

Without waiting for him to respond, Hermione walked out of the front door and Apparated.

HG**LM

Lucius was walking down a corridor when he heard the popping sound of Apparition coming from his drawing room. He drew his wand and stole into the room to see Hermione covered in mud and shivering in the middle of the floor. He wanted to go to her, but he couldn't trust her, or trust that it even was Hermione Granger in his home.

"Who are you?" He had his wand pointed at her chest.

She pushed herself up from the floor, and said, "Can you start a fire? I'm freezing."

He said, "Tell me who you are and why you are here before I curse you."

Hermione became irritated. "You know it's me, Lucius! Nobody else could have Apparated straight into your home. Actually, I wasn't sure that I could do it until I remembered living here with your sister. Then I knew that the house's wards would probably still recognize me as part of the family." She then muttered to herself, "If only I had known that during the war."

"I don't have a sister, Miss Granger," Lucius said. Nevertheless, he moved to the fireplace and started a fire. "Are you alright?" He went to her and took her muddy cloak. Throwing it over a chair, he said, "Remove your shoes and sit in front of the fire. You're shivering."

Hermione sighed. "Thank you . . . And you did have a sister. I was referring to Helena Malfoy, but I don't have time for a history lesson. I'm here because Ginny took the Grail."

"The what?" Lucius asked.

Hermione impatiently repeated, "The Grail—the cup. The thing you were worried about protecting after the war. There was a Fiendfye in the Department of Mysteries today, and then Ginny didn't come home until late, and she was covered in mud, so I went to the Tor, and it was gone, and . . . I don't understand why you didn't get there first. I know you must have heard about the Fiendfyre before they even let us leave . . ."

Lucius interrupted, "Miss Granger, you are rambling, and I can't make sense of anything you are saying."

Hermione froze. She started thinking that she might actually be crazy after all. Reaching for her shoes, she said, "I'll just be going now."

Lucius couldn't stop a tiny smile from appearing on his lips as he watched Hermione's cheeks blush from embarrassment.

She didn't look at him. She only looked down as she gathered her cloak and prepared to leave.

Lucius broke the awkward silence. "Morgana, don't go."

Hermione looked up at him with wide eyes, waiting for an explanation.

He said, "I only wanted to prove a point. The door to this room is wide open, my love. Anyone could have overheard you. You had no way of knowing whether or not we are alone. You must be more careful . . . As for your other question—I could not risk going to find it. The Ministry still monitors my movements, and today's attack meant that they were keeping a special watch on all wizards with a history like mine. After all, I have vandalized the Department of Mysteries before."

Hermione's anger and frustration rose, and she expected to lose her temper and start shouting at any moment. She was trying to control herself, but the rage was building.

Lucius prepared himself for her wrath. He knew that it would come, and it would pass, and then they could discuss the situation.

Neither one of them expected what actually happened.

Hermione collapsed. Falling to her knees, she sobbed loudly. She covered her face to contain the tears, but they flowed so fast that they ran down her arms and dripped to the floor. Her body shook as the wails continued to force their way out of her mouth.

He finally went to her.

He stooped down to her and took her into his arms. As she buried her face in his chest and continued to sob, he started stroking her hair. He whispered, "I know what you're going through. I know this is difficult for you, but you need to stop this. I need you to stop . . . I need you."

Hermione looked up at him then. Her face was red and wet, but her eyes showed her own need. "I need you, too. God help me; there's a part of me that says I shouldn't be here. I have another family—another life."

"I understand that as well. Tell them what you must, but you will stay here with me," Lucius said.

Hermione laughed at his command in spite of herself. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she responded with obvious sarcasm. "Yes, _Master_."

He tightened his grip on her. "I'm serious, Morgana."

She met his gaze steadily and made a stubborn response. "I know that, _Merlin_. This isn't the Dark Ages, and you aren't going to order me about. I'm also Hermione Granger, and I'm a war hero. You better be ready to accept that."

Lucius didn't loosen his grip. As Hermione's speech grew passionate, he looked like he was about to devour her, and his breathing became erratic. She moved her hands slowly up his chest as they both became silent save for their breathing. It was difficult to say which one of them moved first as their lips came together in a hard kiss.

When she began unbuttoning his shirt, he grabbed her wrist and said, "Let's go upstairs. I'm too old to roll about the floor."

Hermione moaned impatiently and said, "Don't spoil the moment. You weren't too old to get yourself down here."

He sighed as she started nibbling his neck. "Yes, and you are the only person in the world who could make me kneel on the floor, but I want to take you to my bed."

Hermione gave his hair a hard tug. "Damn you! Your haughty drawl keeps reminding me that you are Lucius Malfoy. You are absolutely murdering my mood. Just get in the chair."

Lucius stood and pulled her into the chair on top of him. "Since when are you so aggressive?"

Hermione straddled him and began to slowly rock back and forth in his lap. "I don't know. I'm usually not."

Lucius continued, "I think I like it."

"I just need you to make me feel better right now. I miss you." Hermione whispered.

He pulled her against him for another kiss while sliding his hand up her skirt and into her knickers. She whimpered softly and moved against his fingers. "I'm ready, Lucius," she moaned into his ear while opening up his trousers. He growled, put his hands on her bottom, and pulled her completely onto him. She gasped at the sudden feeling of him inside of her before she started to move slow and hard against him.

They completely gave themselves over to the moment and to each other, finally feeling that their souls were complete for the first time since the day he had left her a thousand years ago.

HG**LM

"If I leave Ron and move here with you, Ginny will know we are working against her, but I don't think I can stay with him now," Hermione said as she straightened her clothing and sat on the arm of the chair.

Lucius shook his head. "No, it's not necessary. The story she fed Rita Skeeter was a bold move, and it's probably the first of many. She's going to expect you to defend yourself soon, so you need to take care to keep in good favor with everyone else in your life. It's better to leave Mr. Weasley before he suspects you of having another lover. That will better preserve your friendships with both him and Mr. Potter, and you can remain close enough to Nimue's family that we'll have a better chance of recovering the Grail. You have high connections, and I still have a fair few. We'll sort out our next step in the morning. For now, I think you need to rest."

"That would be a perfect plan if you were anyone else," Hermione said.

Lucius took her hand in his. "It can't be helped. Your friends won't approve of you associating with me, but they won't abandon you either. We'll work with what we've got."

They sat in silence for several moments before Lucius asked, "You are still upset, aren't you?" He pulled her close and held her.

She rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. "I miss Primrose."

"Who is Primrose?" Lucius asked.

"Our daughter."


	16. Ch15: Primrose Morgana Malfoy Prince

Chapter 15: Primrose Morgana Malfoy Prince

Christmas morning dawned with a brisk freshness as Hermione silently wept at the foot of a grave in the Malfoys' ancient family cemetery. The weathered stone read, "Primrose Morgana Malfoy Prince." There were runes and roses carved into the edges, making an intricate pattern that glowed in Hermione's presence.

Lucius stood at her side. His face was pale, but his eyes remained dry as he looked upon their daughter's final resting place. "It has never before glowed like that. It looks so beautiful . . . I wish that I had known her."

Hermione clung to Lucius and remembered her only child. "Her hair looked like it was spun from gold. I'd never seen anything like it. It wasn't quite blond, and it wasn't quite red; it was just gold. It would shine so lovely in the daylight even on a cloudy day. I used to spend hours brushing it for her . . . She called me 'Ana' even though she knew that I was her mother. She lived here with Helena always, and she belonged to Helena in name. She was widowed at eighteen. Her husband, Silas Prince, died in the service of the Order of Merlin. He left her with an infant daughter, Margot Prince . . ." She paused before adding, "Luna Lovegood resembles Margot quite a bit."

Lucius sharply shifted his glance from Hermione's mouth to her eyes. "You can't be suggesting that our line has ended with Luna Lovegood?"

Hermione smirked in spite of her sadness. "It has, and she knows it. She told me years ago that she is descended from Morgana. I'm also assuming that Severus Snape was a distant relative because of the Prince name, but I'd have to research it."

Lucius sighed and said, "Yes, I believe so. Merlin help us!"

Hermione chuckled through tears as Lucius smiled. He said, "That's better. Today is no time to weep about the ancient past. You must face your friends. It's a pity that you chose Christmas to remember everything, but at least I won't be alone tonight."

Hermione gave him a playful pinch on the arm. "Don't be so selfish. Today is going to be awful even if you are here to console me afterwards . . . Speaking of you being here, why didn't you return to England all those years ago? Others returned. They had so much knowledge and advanced magic to contribute to the Order. The location charms were flawless. It amazes me even more now that I remember how it all started, and I realize how heavily we rely on those charms today with the Ministry and Diagon Alley being hidden right in the middle of London. It seems so second nature now, yet it was so critical then . . . We were dangerously close to war with Guinevere until Gawain showed us how to hide whole villages and secret keep our homes, but even he couldn't tell me what happened to you."

Lucius listened to Hermione speak of the past while he continued to hold her, enjoying the softness of her voice. When she was finished, he let silence linger between them for a moment.

He took her hand and began to lead her back to the house. "I knew you would save our world if Galahad and Gawain made it back safely with everything I gave them. They took an Unbreakable Vow not to tell anyone what happened on our quest, and they could only share the new magic with our magical allies."

Hermione said, "That's how Silas died. The Unbreakable Vow wasn't enough. Tensions were high when you and Arthur didn't return. Guinevere had them taken to prison and tortured for information. We couldn't risk them mentioning anything at all, or even telling her about the vow, so Silas went to the prison on the night they were taken and removed their memories of the magic they had brought back and anything else he felt was necessary. She had him executed for it. The daughter-in-law of a woman that Helena killed was the executioner."

Lucius looked away. "I am sorry."

Hermione pleaded with him. "Galahad came back almost right away, but it took Gawain years to come home, and you weren't even with him . . . I thought you would be with him. My waiting ended in agony. You have no idea . . . Why won't you tell me what happened?"

Lucius answered, "They were together the last time I saw them. There were others with them as well. I don't know why some were delayed, but I can tell you my part in the story. I will tell you tonight. We don't have time right now. I know you trust Potter and the Weasleys, but please be cautious today."

He brought her hand to his lips and placed a hard kiss on the back of it before letting her go. She Apparated on the spot, and he walked into his house and went straight for his study to pour himself a strong drink.

HG**LM

Hermione arrived at The Burrow by midday. "Happy Christmas, everyone!"

Her friends were gathered around the table, passing around food and gifts. They stopped their frantic chatter and stared at Hermione as soon as she greeted them. Ron was visibly angry, Harry looked scared, and Ginny smiled knowingly. Molly, however, was obviously determined to diffuse the tension. She greeted Hermione nervously and embraced her, and most of the other Weasleys followed her example. They were all determined to have a peaceful Christmas meal before any unpleasant discussions took place, and Hermione was grateful for the time to calm her nerves and collect her wits.

Fleur sat beside Hermione and whispered encouragingly, "I brought some of that pudding you always love for me to make when you visit Shell Cottage."

Hermione couldn't keep her eyes from moistening. "Thanks, Fleur. Your travels have been pleasant, I hope?"

Bill interrupted with an excited answer. "Percy and Penelope went with us to Romania to see Charlie while he was working with some rare breeds of dragons. The terrified look on Percy's face when we introduced him to the Norwegian Ridgeback that Charlie's best mate keeps was priceless." He laughed along with the rest of the Weasleys while Percy tried not to look bothered.

Hermione relaxed a bit, letting herself enjoy the conversations of her friends for perhaps the last time. She smiled as Molly finally came to Percy's defense while Fleur and Penelope exchanged playful glances. Ron never spoke, but Harry was eager to speak to her about work. He tried his best to be pleasant to her despite Ginny's efforts to steer the conversation away from Hermione.

HG**LM

_Queen Guinevere sat stoic and beautiful in a vast throne room. She was clothed in gowns of flowing white. The pure white material was in contrast to the crimson stains that were ruining the hem of her skirts as Galahad held onto them tightly, begging for his life. Gawain remained motionless in a shadow-shrouded corner, having crawled there to escape the man in the black mask. _

_The man in the black mask, their supposed executioner, was probably magical, but there was no way to really know. They hadn't seen the face of the person who had taken their wands, but he had seemed shorter. Without wands or weapons, anyone with skill had the upper hand against them. The only thing certain was that there was a magical signature in the chamber that seemed to be working against only them. _

_Arthur had always kept magical allies, but those alliances had always ensured peace. Galahad didn't understand how Guinevere was able to keep alliances with magical beings. She was turning into a tyrant. Her distrust of wizards only grew after Arthur did not return. It made no difference to her that Merlin had also been lost. She took the death of the king as an attack against her authority and her kingdom. Avalon was already under attack from foreign barbarians, and she feared the wizards could be intentionally keeping the Grail from her. Arthur had told her that recovering the Grail was important above all else. It would save her. She would recover all information that the returning knights could tell her. _

_Galahad moaned and screamed, "Let me die!" _

_Guinevere raised her right foot and placed the sole of her shoe onto his face, pushing him away. "I know that you two are the only ones with the knowledge I seek. My executioner will only strike you dead when you give that to me. You will suffer until then." _

_The masked man approached and began removing Galahad's boots. It was clear to the onlookers what he meant to do. The miserable knight's fingernails were gone, and the man in the mask meant to start ripping off the toenails next. _

_Morgana felt sick. Galahad had lost an eye. He had been stabbed and branded at least once on every limb. Part of his scalp had been removed. She glanced to the shadows to see that Gawain had passed out from the pain that he had endured. _

_Gawain and Galahad were her friends. They had pledged themselves to Merlin's service after the death of Arthur, and they had sworn to protect her and the Order. They had worked for the greater good since returning from Persia, but Guinevere had finally outplayed them after years of trying. Her face hidden beneath a cloak, Morgana signaled to Silas that it was time to act. _

_Everyone moved into position. Silas was to distract the queen and her minions for the moment it would take to Apparate the knights to safety. _

_Silas stepped forward. "My queen, please spare these men. They do not have the knowledge you are trying to torture out of them. I destroyed their memories before you were able to capture them." _

_In a second, two things happened. Two men were saved, and one man was murdered. _

_Morgana grabbed Galahad and Apparated while Helena slipped into the shadows with Gawain and did the same. _

_While that happened, Guinevere said, "Silas Prince, you are a traitor to the crown. I now condemn you to death." _

_Morgana's other accomplices had their eyes and wands on the masked man. They were ready to block any blow or curse. However, when Guinevere spoke and pointed her finger at Silas, the Killing Curse came from a petite lady-in-waiting who was inconspicuously seated next to the throne. _

_After Silas hit the stone floor, curses began to fly around Guinevere. A curse hit the masked man, and he fell into a torch that was lit nearby. His black clothing caught fire quickly, and he ran into the crowd. As the crowd panicked and started to move, the Order members could not maintain their positions. One of them was able to aim a last curse at Guinevere, but the petite executioner threw herself in front of the curse before it could hit its intended target. As the life drained from the little woman's eyes, the signal was given for everyone to Apparate. _

HG**LM

Molly asked Ginny and Hermione to clear off the table while the rest of the family gathered in the parlor.

They passed several minutes in silence before Ginny dropped a plate. Hermione immediately withdrew her wand and repaired the dish, placing it in a cabinet in the process.

Ginny gave her a look of disgust. "Why did you do that?"

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry, Ginny. I didn't even think about it. I was just tidying up."

"You always have to look so innocent—so helpful. But you can't hide what you did last night." Ginny finished putting away a stack of dishes and stood with her hands on her hips, confronting Hermione.

Hermione answered, "I don't want to hide what I did last night. If I didn't want to be caught, I would have come home; I wouldn't have stayed with Lucius all night this time."

She knew that changing the facts a little bit would confuse Ginny, making her think that she didn't know as much as she thought. If Hermione could make it seem like an ongoing love affair, then her disappearance the night prior after the events at the Ministry and Ginny's late return home wouldn't seem so odd. The only thing that Hermione didn't count on was the fact that Ron was listening just outside of the door.

Ginny looked genuinely shocked for a moment, but quickly tried to hide it. "You've been friendly with Lucius Malfoy of a long time?" Ginny knew Ron was there; she could see him from her point of view, so she stayed silent for long enough to let Hermione continue.

"Yes, I've been in love with him forever, it seems. Ron kept putting off our marriage, and Lucius kept insisting on secrecy, so I never said anything. I felt trapped, but I didn't want to end up alone. I left Harry's house last night right after you arrived. Ron wasn't there yet, so making my excuses was easier than I thought it would be. But when I arrived at Malfoy Manor, Lucius said that he didn't want to spend another Christmas without me. He asked me to stay—wants me to live there with him and get married. I know I've been selfish . . ."

Ginny didn't care about Hermione's feelings. She didn't even care about her brother's feelings. She only cared about the lengths to which she had gone to make sure she stayed two steps ahead in the game she was currently winning. "Well, then. I was right about you after all. You deserved to have your little tumble with Sirius exposed."

Hermione looked away. "I know you sold that story to Rita, Ginny. I don't understand why. We've always been friends."

Ginny snapped. "Right! We've never been enemies, have we? We were always dear friends, which is why it hurt when I found out months ago that you were seeing Lucius Malfoy. Draco told me. You put me in a terrible position, Hermione, and I felt that getting Ron and Harry to see you for what you really are was my only choice. I couldn't just accuse you without proof."

Hermione let Ginny tell her lies. They were proof that her own lies were working.

Ron was tired of listening, so he walked into the room, put his arm around Ginny, and said, "Ginny, I'm sorry you felt like you couldn't tell me. Thank you for being a good sister." He placed a kiss on her forehead. "Hermione and I need to talk, would you excuse us?"

Ginny immediately fled from the room.

Hermione knew right away that she had made a fatal mistake. If Ron had heard their conversation, then all of Ginny's actions would seem justified to Harry and to everyone else when Ron was finished repeating the story. It was no longer Ginny's word against hers. She grew pale at the thought that she had just given Ginny the means to do and say so much more until she could produce proof of Ginny's intentions. She wondered if it would be too late to save them all by that time, but then Ron's voice called her back to the heartbreak of the moment.

"You know I wanted to get married, Hermione. Why would you say those things to Ginny? Why would you lie to me for so long? And Lucius Malfoy?" Ron shook his head in anger and disbelief. "When Aurors came to tell us you were at Malfoy Manor, I thought he'd taken you. I thought you'd be dead!"

"Why would Aurors come to tell you that?" Hermione asked.

"After everything I just said, that's the question you ask?" Ron practically screamed. "The Ministry sporadically monitors Lucius Malfoy's property. Didn't he tell you? They can see who comes and goes whenever they want. They just can't go inside without the Minister's approval, which I wanted to get until Ginny reminded me that you are on the family clock here at The Burrow. It said you weren't in danger. It said you were happy. Then Ginny started explaining how ridiculous your excuse to leave was and how you had told Harry that you didn't want any of us around . . . I suppose you just got lucky that I didn't find out sooner . . . I wish I had."

Hermione had to cry. She couldn't hold in the emotion. She said, "I know you don't believe me, but I never meant to hurt you. We've been best mates since we were children, and I don't want things to end this way. I know this looks bad, but I can't explain my actions right now. Just . . . Please don't hate me."

Ron paced back and forth. "I can't be around you right now, Hermione. I don't know if I ever can again. I just don't know. I spent all night trying to sort out what to say to you today, but none of it was good. I don't want to say something to you that I will regret, so please just get out of my sight . . . Make sure to say goodbye to Mum and Dad on your way out. They're going to miss you."

Ron turned and left the room. Hermione dried her eyes, forced her mouth into a smile, and went to say her farewells.


	17. Ch 16: Chief Witch of the Wizengamot

Chapter 16: Chief Witch of the Wizengamot

Hermione reappeared at Malfoy Manor just after nightfall with the few of her belongings that really meant something to her.

"I would have been here sooner, but I went to my flat to gather some things. I didn't want to go back there again after today," she said as she simply stood in the foyer next to two mahogany trunks.

"But that can't be everything?" Lucius asked.

"Well, the trunks are both charmed, so they are bigger inside than they look. But I did leave most things behind. I want to start fresh," she said softly. She still didn't move, standing still in the middle of the open space as if she didn't know where to go and how to begin living somewhere else.

Lucius said gently, "Hermione, I know it's Christmas, and I know you've already had a difficult day, but something has occurred that I can't keep from you until tomorrow."

He called for a house-elf to take Hermione's possessions to her new boudoir until she could attend to them herself. He then placed his arm around her and started leading her into his study.

Once she was seated she asked, "What's happened?"

Lucius answered, "About an hour ago, I received an owl from Draco. He said that the Minister was found dead in his home this evening."

"She did it," Hermione said.

Lucius agreed. "I know. I've seen them together on several occasions. She was using him for sure, but her extreme method of removing him from office seems a bit premature. She must be ready to strike sooner than I expected, and we must be ready for her."

"It's my fault," Hermione said. She sobbed into her hands.

Lucius engulfed her in his arms. "Why is it your fault?"

Hermione explained, "I lied to her today. I only wanted to confuse her, you know? I wanted to make it more difficult for her to piece things together. She's always so damn confident! She must have gone to see him after I left."

"Hermione, what did you say to her?" Lucius urged her to get to the point.

"I told her that you and I have been together for months. I—I didn't want her to keep thinking that she is so far ahead of us. I wanted her to wonder how long we've been making plans against her . . . She must have got nervous, thinking she was running out of time and made her move against the Ministry early." Hermione looked to Lucius' eyes for agreement.

He nodded. "Yes, it does seem a bit sloppy for her to strike on the evening of Christmas. You're right. She has made her first major move, and she's not going to stop now."

Hermione jumped to her feet in a panic. Pacing in front of Lucius, she said, "We are at a huge disadvantage. I can't go to Harry right now. Rita's story about me is still fresh on his mind, my involvement with you hasn't done my relationship with him any good either, and Ginny's reputation with him is flawless. Today they were talking about Arthur's retirement from the Ministry. He's been grooming Ginny to take his place. Kingsley was to appoint her Senior Undersecretary to replace Arthur. Even with Kingsley dead, Andromeda Tonks is still going to back her. She'll weasel her way deeper into the Ministry for sure because we have no proof of her guilt . . ."

Lucius interrupted, "She's removed Kingsley to make room for Potter, no doubt."

Hermione stopped pacing and stared at Lucius. "Do you really think so? He's still a bit young for Minister."

Lucius answered, "Yes, but his success, power, and popularity are all unprecedented. Mark my words; that will be her next move. We'll see in a day or so."

"What will be our next move?" Hermione wondered.

"We aren't nearly as disadvantaged as you think," Lucius replied.

"What do you mean?"

Lucius smirked. "You said that Andromeda Tonks, the Chief Witch of the Wizengamot, is supporting Ginny Potter?"

"Yes." Hermione's tone was one of confusion and impatience as she failed to see Lucius' point.

He laughed under his breath. "If we can't get our hands on Nimue's queen yet, we'll simply have to take her bishop . . . She is no longer two steps ahead for us for sure."

Hermione understood that Lucius had a plan, but she wasn't exactly following him. She suddenly sounded hopeful. "What are you going to do? What do you want me to do?"

Lucius went to his desk and scribbled a quick note on a bit of parchment before sending it away with his owl. Hermione watched him with anticipation even though she was exhausted. He poured two drinks and moved back to the settee where she was sitting. He handed her one of the drinks and said, "You look so tired, my dear. It's time to relax and share a drink with me. You'll understand my plan in the morning. For now, I'm going to tell you a story . . ."

HG**LM

_Fragrant smoke lingered in the air as at least a dozen girls lazily sipped on a hookah while lounging around King Arthur and a few of his men. The night outside was crisp, but inside the girls' skin glistened with perspiration and oil. The smells of sex and exotic libations were all around Merlin as he fought to keep his mind clear. He tried to keep picturing Morgana, but the king had compelled him to take a recreational potion with him. As he slipped into euphoria, he lost track of time and place, and he was not even aware that the lips sliding down his cock did not belong to his beloved. He knew that Arthur was speaking to him, but his king's voice seemed to be slipping further and further away from him as his world went dark. _

_As soon as Arthur had identified himself to the Middle Eastern magical world as a king from the West, a wizard prince had recognized several wizards among Arthur's knights and offered them lodging—and the use of his harem. _

_The men spent three days of feasting and revelry with the Persian witches and wizards. The more ideas, spells, and other valuables they exchanged with the prince and his people, the more they wanted to celebrate. All merriment was in full swing when Arthur finally found the courage to speak to the prince about the Grail. _

"_I am grateful for your generosity and friendship, but my travels are for a specific purpose. My knights and I traveled here in search of the Grail," said Arthur. _

_It appeared that the prince wasn't completely listening to Arthur. He continued to look at the woman dancing in front of him while he enjoyed sweet wine and dried fruit. "What is a Grail?" _

_Arthur spoke a bit louder. "The Holy Grail. The cup of Jesus Christ." _

_The prince's gaze finally shifted to Arthur where it lingered, but he didn't speak. Arthur eventually became aware that no one spoke. All of the noise around them had faded away, and everyone was watching him. _

_A woman emerged from the shadows and spoke in response to Arthur, but she was looking at Merlin. "We don't know what a 'grail' is, but we know about Isa—the Wise Lord's son of your Christian faith and a prophet of Islam. I may have some answers you seek, but why should I give them to you—you who travel with non-magical men. Men who destroy lives, cities, and entire nations in the name of these religions?" _

_Prince Kavad was not yet the ruler of the Persian Wizarding world, but he had been acting as the ruler since turning seventeen ten years prior. His mother, Queen Maryam, ruled the people, but under her authority Prince Kavad held immense power. _

_It was Maryam who now spoke to Merlin. Her raven hair and emerald eyes held his attention a bit too long, and he realized a bit too late that she was reading his thoughts with a magic and ease that he had never before encountered. _

_Merlin said, "My lady, we come from a land where it is custom for all people to live in one kingdom, but I . . ." _

_She finished his sentence. "But you are here to learn how to change that. You told your king that you would bring him here to find this 'grail,' but you are here for our magic that will help you hide your people from his people." _

"_Yes." Merlin looked to Arthur, who was too dumbfounded to interject at that moment. _

_Maryam continued speaking to Merlin. "In your mind, you call this cup something else. I know it by that name; I know of the Elvish Goblet . . . Its Zoroastrian name is the Balancing Vessel." _

"_Its Zoroastrian name? It was made by elves in the land from which we came," said Merlin. _

"_It was kept by elves, and made on that green hill. That much is true. It enhanced the powers of humans and elves alike, but they did not create it." _

_Merlin asked, "How did it come into being?" _

_Maryam approached Merlin and perched on the table in front of him. "Most of the non-magical people here follow Islam, but within my magical kingdom, we adhere to the Zoroastrian beliefs of our ancestors. I keep knowledge unknown to any other kingdom. My father told me that God gave the vessel to Earth as a means for keeping balance in the magical world between good and evil until the time comes when God causes good to prevail. The world will end at that time. Until then the vessel will hold, carry, and spill the amount of good and evil that is necessary." _

_Arthur asked, "Do you know where it is?"_

"_No. If it were meant to be yours, you would already have it." Maryam dismissed Arthur with her short answer and continued to speak to Merlin. "It has traveled around the world several times since the beginning. It is therefore a dangerous object because of its duality. It is not a choice. You cannot keep it from causing harm just as you cannot keep it from doing good things. You suspect that it must belong to the right wizard, and that this wizard will only use it for good, but the vessel will always find a way." _

_Arthur stood and spoke again. "Thank you for welcoming us into your kingdom, but it is time for us to prepare for our journey home." _

"_You are a king—strong and beautiful. I think I'll keep you." Queen Maryam locked eyes with King Arthur, and he was in a trance . . . _

_HG**LM_

"She did what?" Hermione asked.

"It was the most impressive display of power that I've ever seen. She made him forget everything and fall in love with her. King Arthur didn't die. He stayed with the Persians as the queen's companion. He was more like her pet, I suppose. He was the only Muggle they ever allowed to stay in their world." Lucius took a drink and continued, "Maryam saw in Arthur's mind that he would try to order the knights to arrest me and take me back to England because I had tried to deceive him. I wasn't honest with him about the reason for our quest, and I knew more about the Grail than I told him. She saw that there would be violence in her home as soon as Arthur had time to act, so she simply took him from us."

"What happened after that?"

"Nothing. We left the next morning." Lucius chuckled.

Hermione was getting frustrated. "What happened to you?"

Lucius answered, "I contracted Dragon Pox on the way back. They had to leave me, but they let me take their memories of what Queen Maryam had told us about the Grail. None of them wanted to know anyway. It was more of a burden than enlightenment for them. I made them take vows because of all of the magic we had learned and because of King Arthur's fate. I must have died somewhere near Bulgaria."

Hermione held onto Lucius as her tears came. She felt like she finally had closure, but she also had a second chance with the man whom she truly loved.

"Did you believe what Maryam told you about the Grail?" Hermione asked.

Lucius nodded. "You and I have spoken before about balance in the Wizarding world, and the Grail does seem to surface every time there is a great shift. Think back to all of the stories I shared with you over the years about the Grail, and you will recall that it was originally used for good when it made the first elves and humans powerful, but then it was used for evil. After that it was used again for good. The pattern has been exact since the beginning."

Hermione swallowed the last of her Firewhiskey and whispered, "That explains why Voldemort was able to use the Hufflepuff Cup for evil, but it also makes me wonder if we will win. Are you sure it won't favor Ginny Potter?"

Lucius answered, "Not if you think of it logically. If balance is its primary function, then it is time for good to prevail since it has most recently helped evil. Of course, there is no way to know exactly what will happen until she tries to use it. The possible reactions between her and the cup should be similar to what happens between wizards and wands, and there is a very high chance that she will not bond well with it at all."

Hermione thought a moment and replied, "In that case, it may be wise for us to change our strategy a bit. We know she'll come for us eventually, so why don't we let her? She doesn't know how it works, and we do. We can keep her from gaining power in the Ministry until she snaps and makes another move, but we'll be ready for her this time."


	18. Chapter 17: Minister Potter

Chapter 17: Minister Potter

Hermione awoke to a ray of sunlight escaping from a gap in the drawn curtains and hitting her in the face. She threw her arm across her eyes and rolled over in the bed, expecting to find Lucius. Instead seeing only his pillow, she looked beyond the edge of the plush mattress to see a breakfast tray. It was full and undisturbed as if meant for her.

Sliding across the sheets and opening a slip of parchment that was folded beneath the teacup, she discovered a note from Lucius. She sighed with joy at how thoughtful he was to leave her such a nice breakfast. The note said to eat and get dressed at her leisure. It said that he had needed to rise early to prepare for a meeting, but that she needn't worry herself with it until she was rested and ready to come downstairs.

Hermione didn't want to take her time. She wanted to be with Lucius. They had so much to do, and her thoughts were uneasy, so she sipped the tea and nibbled on a croissant as she quickly dressed and brushed her hair.

She walked steadily down the stairs and straight into Lucius' study, but he wasn't there. Stepping back into the corridor, she looked around. The first room on the left, the lounge, appeared to be occupied as the lights were on and the door was ajar. As she approached the door, she heard a woman's voice.

"If it were anyone else but you, Lucius, I wouldn't believe a word of it, but you've always been an extraordinary wizard. I've known since we were children that you were meant for greatness. It's why I loved you so much."

Then she heard Lucius interject, "You loved me because you thought I'd be great? All of these years I've thought my personality had kept you close to me when we were young. I had no idea that you meant to use me for my talents, power, money . . . You break my heart, Andromeda."

Andromeda Tonks chuckled, and Hermione walked into the room at that moment.

Hermione said, "Good morning, Lucius. Andromeda." She wasn't suspicious, but she was confused and very curious about why Andromeda Tonks was in her home.

Andromeda's expression nearly matched Hermione's; she was smiling, but her eyes were questioning. "Hermione Granger. What are you doing here?"

The women moved towards each other and embraced. Hermione answered, "I could ask you the same question."

Andromeda said, "I was a bit annoyed at first when Lucius asked me to come here today. I usually like to rest and stay home on Boxing Day, but he said it was urgent. Now I'm glad that I came . . . Although now that I see you here, I don't think he was finished telling me his story."

"None of what I've told you would have been possible without Hermione . . ." Lucius said.

Andromeda cupped Hermione's cheeks in her hands and stared at her with wonder. "Oh, Hermione, you amazing, amazing girl. You're Morgana."

It would have been easy for Hermione to get lost in the moment, discovering that Andromeda was somehow Lucius' friend after all, but she was determined to expose Ginny for who she really was. Hermione looked straight into Andromeda's eyes, and said quietly, "Has he told you where Nimue is hiding?"

Andromeda blinked and shook her head. "No."

Hermione continued to speak. "Because this situation is urgent—very urgent. We need your help."

Lucius interrupted, "I've managed to procure a Pensieve. It's in the library, and I was going to suggest that Andromeda may view as many memories as she feels is necessary in order to completely understand the seriousness of what is happening at the Ministry."

"Lucius, you never mentioned the Ministry . . . Don't tell me that you are involved in Kingsley's murder . . . I don't know if I can help you if that is true," Andromeda said.

Hermione answered, "No, but we know who killed him. Lucius is right. The best way for you to understand is to experience some of our memories."

HG**LM

Hermione arrived early to her office, and the entire building was abuzz with the news of Harry Potter's announcement that he was seeking the position of Minister for Magic.

Just as she sat down at her desk and began reading memos, Andromeda walked in and closed the door behind her. "You and Lucius were right. Harry has announced his candidacy for Minister, and all of the wizards and witches who should be taking the position are instead supporting him."

"Yes, and it only took three days. Lucius was right." Hermione glanced at her calendar. "Aren't you the acting Minister?" she asked. "That's the news I received."

Andromeda sat down. "Yes, well, Mafalda and Arthur have both resigned. I was next in line . . . Hermione, I cannot go against Harry. I will lose. We have a much better chance of success if I stay where I am and keep supporting him."

"We're in a good place," Hermione said. "You are right. Your position now will help us keep Ginny under control."

"Hermione, I'm trying. I can control things for now, but once Harry is Minister, my power will decline a bit. I can't guarantee that I can get rid of her unless she makes a wrong move. We need to find another way; there must be some way for us to prove her guilt."

"You have enough connections to control her until Lucius and I sort things out. I know you do," Hermione said.

Andromeda stood to leave. "Thank you for your confidence . . . It's so good to see you, but I can't stay."

"I understand. Besides, we don't want Ginny to find out that we are spending too much time together." Hermione smiled as Andromeda walked through the door.

Hermione rested her weary head on her desk and expected to hear the door click shut. When it didn't, she looked up while rubbing her temples.

Harry Potter was standing in the doorway of her office. "Got a headache?"

Hermione jumped to her feet. "Harry!"

"Hello, Hermione. Having a chat with Andromeda?"

"I still have some friends, Harry . . . I miss you already. I'm so sorry."

"Listen, I came by here to make things right, but . . . Are you the reason that Andromeda has been trying to keep Ginny from moving up in the Ministry? I didn't come here to argue, but I have to ask." Harry walked to the desk and placed his palms on it, leaning down on her as she retreated back into her chair.

"No, Harry . . . Have you ever considered that Ginny might be the reason? Maybe it's something that she's done. It doesn't have to be someone else's fault."

"Ginny deserves that position," Harry said.

"Does she?" Hermione asked. "I don't know what is happening with her, but I do know that she sold me out to Rita Skeeter, so what makes you think that she wouldn't do the same to anyone else?"

Harry backed away, but he did not take a seat. "I came here to tell you that I forgive you. Ginny told me all about what you did to Sirius . . . and Ron. But, Hermione, you got what you deserve. You can't deceive people without there being consequences. Now, Ginny didn't handle things perfectly, but she did what she thought she had to do to set things right."

"You are right, Harry. You can't deceive people without there being consequences, and Ginny's actions were also deceptive. You need to open your eyes and see every aspect of what is happening here," Hermione said. She kept trying to warn him gently, knowing that she would lose his audience completely if she flat out accused Ginny of anything.

"What is happening here?" Harry asked.

Hermione tried to choose her words carefully. "I'm not certain of everything, but every one of our friends, including ourselves, does important work here at the Ministry. One of us has just been murdered, and you are seeking to take his place. Be careful. Watch and listen to everything. I don't want to lose you. Above all, don't blindly trust the decisions of those closest to you."

"I hope you aren't still referring to Ginny. She's my wife, Hermione."

"I know, but I worry about you."

Harry raised his voice. "I could say the same to you! How can you lecture me about the people I trust when you have put your trust in Lucius Malfoy? You know I cannot be okay with this."

Hermione stood and walked over to Harry. She placed her hands over his. "I know. I don't expect you to invite us over for tea or anything. As for him, me, Ginny, or anyone . . . Think of Severus Snape when I tell you now that things aren't always what they seem to be. Remember everything I've said. I don't want to upset you anymore, so I won't repeat myself. I know I've messed up, but I'm doing what I have to do."

"Why Lucius Malfoy?" Harry asked.

Hermione let go of Harry and said, "I realized that I've always been his. He is my heart, and that is all I can say about it. I didn't decide anything. It just is . . . I'm so happy you came here today. Please be careful."

Harry frowned and started to leave. "You, too, Hermione. I can only think that you are the one who needs to be careful," he said as he exited the office.

Hermione whispered, "You are right about that."

HG**LM

The Potters' home looked every bit as dark as its Death Eater past. Every curtain was drawn, and all sconces were extinguished. In the attic, the sound of a match being struck against its box and then flaring to life echoed throughout the open chamber. A petite hand lit a single candle. The flame reflected in a golden goblet that was sitting next to it.

Ginny was home alone. The Hufflepuff Cup was on a table in front of her, seemingly mocking her efforts and taunting her with its stillness. She kept trying to touch it, but couldn't do it with her bare hands.

"It won't even let me touch it without gloves. How am I supposed to get it to do anything for me?" she wondered aloud.

She knew that she was running out of options with Lucius and Hermione together, Andromeda being difficult to work with, and the cup not giving her any magic. She was sure that it would work for Harry, but he wouldn't want to use it. She thought that maybe it was time to think about finally becoming the master of the Elder Wand.

She heard the front door slam shut from downstairs, and she knew that Harry was home. He was home, and she was out of time for now. She quickly threw a blanket over the cup, wrapped it tight, and threw it in an old trunk.

Blowing out the candle, she moved through the shadows. Her hope was to sneak into bed before he knew she was awake.


	19. Chapter 18: Have You Seen Hermione?

Chapter 18: Have You Seen Hermione?

Harry found Andromeda in an empty courtroom. She appeared to be writing in a journal. He hesitated a moment before asking, "Andromeda?" She looked up at him and he continued, "May I speak to you for a moment?"

She put down her quill and favored him with a hint of a smile. "I always have time for you, Minister Potter. As long as you don't need more than an hour; I've got a hearing next door."

"Why are you in this room instead of your office, or next door?" he asked.

"I'm hiding. I can never get a moment to myself in my office."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Harry said.

Andromeda dismissed his apology with a wave of her hand. "It's fine. I'm here for you. Speak."

"Why are you against Ginny?" Harry said.

Andromeda removed her monocle, folded her hands in front of her, and pinned Harry with a solemn stare. "Harry Potter. You and your little group of heroes have only been out of Hogwarts for a few years. Wizarding Britain loves you. The Wizarding world loves you. You've been through more battles and trials in your short life than many wizards my age. You are the Chosen One. You saved the world. For all of these reasons, many important people in Britain support you. They encourage you. You are the youngest Minister for Magic in history not only because of your unprecedented achievements, but also because you are a symbol. You make us look strong to the rest of the Wizarding world, representing our victory over Voldemort."

Harry understood. "You are saying that they are using me?"

"Yes, and no. You are beneficial to them—to us. That is true. However, the political power they gave you is very real . . . Everyone is confident that you are one of the few wizards in the Ministry without your own agenda. You only want to do the right thing. I know that, and I'm telling you that you need to surround yourself with more experienced witches and wizards. Your Senior Undersecretary needs to be older," Andromeda stated.

"Andromeda, she knows what she's doing. She's the reason I'm here."

"Really? She knows what she's doing? With three years of experience as Arthur's assistant? And if she is the reason you are here, then you need to ask yourself if she is the one using you."

Harry replied, "She's helping me, not using me. She gets things done, and she's one of the most intelligent people I've ever met."

Andromeda nodded. "Yes. One could say that she is an 'old soul' so to speak," she said knowingly.

"You know that I'll eventually get enough support and appoint her without your approval," Harry said.

"Yes, that is probable, but I must do what I believe is best. I will stop you for as long as I can. Kingsley's murderer is still out there somewhere, and I will not stand aside while you put Ginny Potter in a position to take control if something happens to you. I was willing to do it for Kingsley, but things have changed."

Harry switched approaches. "And you will continue to use Lucius Malfoy's pureblood connections in the Department of Mysteries, Hermione's connections in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and your own power as the Chief Witch of the Wizengamot?"

"Yes," she answered simply.

"With your husband's history, how can you side with Malfoy?" Harry asked with indignation.

"History is a funny thing, Harry. At one time, my parents wanted me to marry Lucius. We were close friends at Hogwarts. He was an intelligent and ambitious young man. Everyone in our social circle liked and respected him. Think about that the next time you speak to the council about Ginny's many accomplishments," Andromeda said. She pulled a pocket watch from her robes and checked it.

Harry's voice grew quiet. "I'm starting to wonder if I'm the one going mad. I've always respected you, but I can clearly see that you find Mr. Malfoy more trustworthy than my wife. I need to know why."

"I didn't want to say this without proof, Harry, so I'll put it delicately as I cannot afford to misspeak on this matter. I don't believe Ginny is working in your best interests, and I feel that she may be engaged in illegal activities. I know that you'll probably tell her about this conversation, so I'll say no more. I do ask that you think about not telling her of my suspicions, and that you practice constant vigilance. Things are never as they seem in the Ministry even in times of apparent peace."

Harry said, "Hermione said something similar to me two weeks ago when we last spoke . . . The lot of you are making me paranoid. I won't mention this conversation to Ginny if only for the fact that news of you speaking ill of her might cause her unnecessary sadness. I think you'll eventually see her differently."

He got up to leave, but he stopped when Andromeda said, "Take care and pay attention, Harry."

He nodded to her on his way out of the room.

HG**LM

Hermione and Lucius were enjoying a quick lunch together. At a private corner table inside the main dining room of the Leaky Cauldron, they spoke quietly of Hermione's latest project at work and Lucius' plans to take her on holiday to see an old friend in Marseilles as soon as their past was settled once and for all.

Ginny had spotted them in Diagon Alley after receiving a message from her spy that he had seen them turning onto the street from Knockturn Alley thirty minutes before. She watched them for almost twenty minutes before she acted.

Ginny walked casually over to the table and sat beside Lucius. "I have something for you, lover."

"What do you have for me, Mrs. Potter?" Lucius asked in his normal tone.

"Ah, so we'll be formal. It's a present, Mr. Malfoy."

"I think it's time for you to stop playing the role of innocent Ginny Weasley, Nimue,"

Hermione said.

Ginny gave a sinister chuckle. "So the legendary Morgana finally emerges! How about you, Merlin? Are we all ready to drop the charade?"

"What do you want, you vile cunt?" The sharp words rolled off of Lucius' tongue easily, and he reached for his glass of water, taking a long sip as if nothing was bothering him.

She extended her arm across his lap with her palm pointed up, and said, "There is a wand in my sleeve that you will find familiar. Take it."

Lucius softly slid his fingers across her palm and under the cuff of her coat. Feeling the warm wooden handle, he slowly withdrew his hand. He placed the wand on the table and said, "This is only half of a wand. I'm not sure I appreciate such a gift. Surely the wife of the Minister could afford the whole wand?"

Hermione kept a tight grip on her own wand that was aimed at Ginny under the table, but Lucius remained perfectly relaxed.

"Don't you recognize it?" Ginny asked.

"I do recognize it. If you've murdered my son, this game will end even worse for you than I've already planned," Lucius said.

"Your empty threats do not scare me. I am in control now, you ridiculous old man. You and your pathetic apprentice will follow me when I leave this table. Once we are outside, you will allow me to Apparate you to a place of my choosing. Do you understand?"

Lucius answered, "Yes." As Ginny walked to the door, he covertly smiled and nodded at Hermione.

Hermione understood that Lucius' smile meant that they were going with her and that everything was under control, but she wished that she knew why he was so confident. He knew something that he couldn't say to her in front of Ginny, and her mind was in turmoil as she tried to keep a clear head and make no missteps until she understood everything.

HG**LM

Luna knew something was amiss. She'd been observing strange occurrences that other people always seem to miss for years, and had, in fact, pointed Harry Potter in the right direction once before during his quest for Horcruxes. This was no different. She could see the signs all coming together, and it was time for her to intervene once again.

When Hermione didn't meet her for tea at the specified place and time, she first went to Malfoy Manor only to discover that Lucius Malfoy was also missing, but she eventually ended up at Harry's door.

Harry heard a frantic rapping at his front door and immediately rushed into the foyer to greet his unexpected visitor. He opened the door to see Luna staring at him. He tried to meet her eyes, but she was wearing a motorcycle helmet. His gaze lingered on her helmet before he leaned outside of his door and looked around for a vehicle to match it.

"Hello, Harry Potter," she said as she pushed past him while taking off her helmet. She stepped into the parlor and helped herself to a seat.

Sitting across from her, he said, "Hello, Luna . . . Did you get a motorcycle?"

She looked at him sideways and answered, "No."

When she didn't bother to elaborate or explain her choice of headdress, Harry shook his head and continued. "It's good to see you. I'm glad you caught me at home. You almost missed me. I just got here a few moments ago. Ginny isn't here unfortunately."

Luna smiled, but it didn't look friendly. Harry thought it a bit creepy actually. She then said, "I don't think Ginny will be home for quite awhile. Hermione was supposed to meet me for tea, but never came. Malfoy Manor is empty. The end of an era is near."

Harry was alarmed, but he didn't know why. "Luna, I don't understand what you are trying to tell me. If Hermione is missing, we need to contact the Aurors."

"No, Harry Potter. You need to find her; you need to find them all," Luna whispered.

Harry leaned forward in his chair and pleaded with her. "I know that something is happening around me and my friends, and if you know something, I need you to tell me because I need answers. I'm the bloody Minister for Magic! For once, Luna, I need you to talk to me like you aren't mental!"

Luna rolled her eyes. "You have no idea how poor your timing is for that comment. Everything that I could possibly say right now will sound mental to you."

She opened her satchel and produced a book. "This is the best compilation of Arthurian history, legends, and illustrations that I could find, and I had to . . . borrow it . . . from the queen."

Harry stared down at the book that she had just placed into his hands. "Queen? What queen?" He opened the cover and saw an inscription on the inside, which suggested that the book had been a gift from Edmund Tudor to Margaret Beaufort. There was a handwritten date of 1455. "Are you telling me that you stole this book from the fucking Queen of England?" He ran his fingers across the spine. "But it's infused with magic."

"How else would it still look so nice? It was given to Lady Margaret in 1455, but I think it's a bit older that that still. It would be falling apart by now if it weren't for the magic," Luna said. "Just look at the illustrations for a moment and tell me what you see. We don't have all night. You must understand now."

Harry eagerly turned the book's soft pages until he came across a familiar face. The woman in the illustration looked a bit like Ginny. He paused for a moment and smiled, but then he continued his search for whatever it was that Luna wanted him to find. He soon came across another illustration of two people. Just as he was about to turn the page, he stopped still for a moment, and went back a few pages. "Luna . . ." His thoughts were all muddled, and he searched for words. "Are you telling me that my wife and my best mate are both older than this book? Because I don't know about Hermione, but I can send an owl to The Burrow right now and speak to several witnesses to Ginny's birth."

"Yes, I suppose it's been a very long time." Luna wasn't in the least bothered about Harry's skepticism. "It's them, Harry Potter. You better believe it. I'm a descendent of Merlin and Morgana, and I noticed years ago that Hermione and I share a birthmark that all women in my family have. There have been countless other clues as well . . . And you don't need this book to see that Lucius Malfoy is Merlin if you look at any depiction of him close enough . . . I didn't want to tell you, but I also saw Ginny snog Kingsley once."

"What? Why would she . . . never mind!" He shook his head and tried to stay focused. "Even if they are who you say they are, why is that important at exactly this moment?" Harry asked.

"There has been a war going on in plain sight that was started centuries ago, and I suspect that The Boy Who Lived has lived to see it end. Now, you only need to think of a good place to start and go there."

Harry nodded. "This is completely crazy, but I know something is going on here, and I do know where to start . . . I'm going to see Dumbledore."

"Good!" Luna jumped to her feet.

On their way out of the house, Harry asked, "But, Luna, why wouldn't you have told me before that Ginny was cheating on me?"

Taking Harry by complete surprise, she reached out and embraced him hard. "Because I care about you too much, Harry. I didn't know what to say before. Now, go and please don't get hurt. I'll be waiting for you."

Harry returned the embrace. "Thank you, Luna."


	20. Chapter 19: Dumbledore's Advice

Chapter 19: Dumbledore's Advice

Harry and the headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, walked into her office and stood in front of the sleeping portrait of Albus Dumbledore. The old man looked peaceful, resting his head against his armchair. His half-moon glasses had slid to the tip of his nose and looked like they were in danger of falling into his bushy beard.

Minerva didn't speak. She only looked lovingly upon the portrait for a moment.

Turning to Harry, she placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment and patted it as a goodbye gesture.

As soon as Harry was alone, he cleared his throat loudly. When the portrait continued to snore, he said, "I know you aren't really asleep, Professor."

Dumbledore slowly opened one of his eyes and attempted to spy on Harry, but seeing that Harry was intently looking at him, Dumbledore opened both eyes, smiled, and greeted him. "Hello, Minister Potter. Enjoying yourself at the Ministry, or have they driven you mad?"

"Unfortunately, I'm feeling a bit mad at the moment. I was hoping you could help," Harry said.

"Anything for you, my boy. What do you need from this dead old man?"

Harry asked, "Do you think that reincarnation is possible . . . After hundreds of years, could a witch or wizard be born again?"

"Harry, you know first hand that Voldemort came back to life more than once by hiding his soul fragments in a series of objects. Reincarnation doesn't seem any less probable to me. In fact, it seems more likely." He chuckled. "Plenty of magic has been lost or altered over the generations."

Harry rubbed his head and looked around for a place to sit. He eventually took Minerva's chair and dragged it to the portrait, throwing himself onto the thick cushions and resting his head on the back.

Dumbledore frowned at Harry's apparent frustration. "Listen to me, Harry. Think of the one place in Wizarding Britain where she knows that she wouldn't be disturbed, and look for her there first."

Harry leaned forward. "Who do you think I need to find?"

"Ginny, of course."

"How do you always know, Professor?" Harry asked.

"I have my ways for everything. When you asked about reincarnation, I thought about Tom Riddle's journal from your second year of school. There were some rather interesting entries still visible when you brought it to me . . . It's been wonderful talking to you, Minister, but you have to go now," Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded. "I'll try the Shrieking Shack."

Dumbledore winked at Harry. "Yes, but visit my tomb on your way there."

HG**LM

"_He wants you, Ana. Why don't you use that to our advantage?" Primrose asked. _

_Helena interrupted with a whisper. "Who wants her?" She was holding a sleeping Baby Margot and looking to Primrose with great interest. _

"_Lancelot," Primrose said. _

_Helena turned to Morgana and said, "Didn't you tell me years ago that you thought he was a wizard?" _

_Morgana answered, "He's a squib. Galahad told me. He went into the service of King Arthur because it was the only way to make his father proud of him. With no magical powers, he developed exceptional skills as a soldier. After tales of his bravery and intellect reached Arthur's ears, his knighthood was assured." _

_Helena understood. "So, he's still close to his family, and you are hoping to make him betray the queen . . . They've been lovers for years, Morgana. Surely his loyalty isn't in question." _

_Primrose answered, "Oh, but it is. Guinevere's violence towards wizards is driving them apart." _

"_It's true. Lancelot came to us because he is afraid that the sporadic conflict between the Order and the queen will result in a full-scale war, but I don't think he'll leave her," Morgana said. _

"_Ana, Silas saw the way that Lancelot looked at you. He said the man was in love instantly. All you have to do is convince him." _

_Morgana laughed. "I don't think it would be proper for me to do the kind of convincing you are suggesting. What if Merlin found out?"_

_Helena had just put the baby into her cradle when she turned around and said. "Wake up, Morgana. He isn't coming back. If there is even a chance that we can get the queen's lover on our side, you need to take it! Besides, you must be lonely by now. What if he does want you? You could use a man to warm your bed." _

_All Morgana could do was stare at Helena. She held back a sob and tried to think clearly. _

_Primrose interrupted the moment. "She's right. Did you consider that we could end it all with his help? If she dies, and the kingdom collapses, then we could make the move to complete secrecy before the chaos settles." _

HG**LM

When Harry arrived at Dumbledore's tomb, Draco Malfoy was already there.

Draco was tugging on a large sword that appeared to be wedged between two of the stones that made up the top of the tomb. As Harry approached, he could see that it was the Sword of Gryffindor. He was on the verge of laughing at the Slytherin and telling him how silly he looked trying to wield a sword that only presents itself to Gryffindors, when he noticed that the Elder Wand was sticking out of Draco's pocket.

Drawing his wand he yelled, "Back away from the tomb, Malfoy!"

Draco quickly responded by reaching for the Elder Wand.

Harry warned him. "I'll curse you if you touch that wand! You know I'm the master of the Elder Wand anyway, so you better let me take it and put it back where it belongs."

Draco raised his hands to make them both clearly visible to Harry, but he stepped forward and started speaking frantically. "Please, Potter. I need it. I need the sword, too. Your bloody wife attacked me and had Viktor Krum try to murder me in the Shrieking Shack. I knew you probably put the wand back with Dumbledore, so I came here to get the most powerful wand in the world and go back there. They might have my father, and they are powerful, but also completely nutters. Either let me go, or kill me, Potter, because as long as I have breath left in my body, I am going to hunt down and fucking kill those two!"

"Malfoy, stop. I know, but I need you to tell me if you saw your father and Hermione." Harry lowered his wand a bit, but kept it ready.

"No . . . If they have my father . . ."

"Draco! How long ago did you escape?" Harry asked.

"It's been a few hours . . . I—I needed to plan what to do. Plus, I had to change clothes . . . They took my old wand—the one you won from me during the war, but I had another one on me. My old wand has never worked for me the same since then. I don't really use it except as a decoy. Your wife locked me up, but I had my wand out as soon as she left. I freed myself, but then Krum Apparated into the room. I Stupefied him and ran . . . Fuck, I should have used the Cruciatus on him."

Harry urged him to say more. "How many of them are there? Did they talk about their plans?"

"I only saw your wife and Krum. They snapped my wand and said they were going to use it to get my father. Even though he knows about my new wand, I went to see him at home. He wasn't there, but I know he'll take one look at that wand, and know I got away." Draco lowered his hands a bit. "Are we good? Do you believe me?"

Harry said, "I believe you, I believe you. I'm going with you. Just keep calm. You can't take the wand because if one of them kills me, not only will they be in control of it, but it will be readily available for them to murder the rest of you with it."

Draco grabbed at his hair. "Fuck! You're right!"

Harry stood alert as Draco went to work replacing the wand. He then started tugging on the sword again.

"Honestly, Malfoy! Do you actually think you can use the Sword of Gryffindor?" Harry asked with an exasperated groan.

Draco forced out a frustrated sigh and pushed himself away from the sword. He made a welcoming gesture for Harry to step in and free the sword. "Go ahead. It's a bit dark out here. I didn't notice what sword it was. I only saw a large sword and came to the conclusion that it might be helpful."

Harry grabbed the sword with one hand, took it out of the stone, and started walking away from Draco. "Come on. Malfoy. We can Apparate once we get past that group of trees."

"Fuck!" With one last exclamation, Draco followed Harry into the darkness.

HG**LM

_Morgana followed a long tunnel until she reached a rusted gate at the end, which swung open as soon as she touched it. Once past the threshold, she shut the gate and locked it with a key and with magic. She continued to walk until she saw what appeared to be a dead end. There were lichens and cobwebs on the walls in every place except for a small patch of smooth brown stone, so she ran her fingers along the stone, triggering the wall to move back and creating an alcove. There was a wooden door on one side of the alcove, so she pushed it open to reveal a bedchamber lit with candles and warmed with magic. _

_Lancelot was sitting on a small bed, and he stood as she entered the room and walked directly to him. He wasn't as tall as Merlin, but he was almost a head taller than her—the perfect height for resting her cheek against his neck, which she had done frequently since their first time sleeping together. His hair was dark blond. It would be wavy if he wore it down, but he always kept it tied tightly with a strip of leather. His eyes were blue, but they still reminded her of Merlin's grey ones. They were just as bright and intense. _

_He gathered her in his arms and pulled her against him. It had been weeks since their last rendezvous and he was ravenous for her love. The sound of her garments tearing and her moans of approval pushed his desire to the limit, and he lifted her off her feet and tossed her onto the bed before unlacing his trousers. _

_She was just as eager as he, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him on top of her quaking body. She didn't want tender kisses or the feel of his hands on her body; she was ready for sweet pain and a powerful release. His cock was hard and hot against her belly, and she desired nothing more than for him to thrust it into her forceful and deep. _

_It took him only a few moments to react to her aggressive thrusting and the guttural moans that slipped past her lips as she bit down on his earlobe. He lifted himself just enough to position himself and then lose himself inside of her, letting the intensity of the emotions between them drive his movements to become more powerful with each passing moment. _

_She cried out almost melodically as she came undone beneath him, and the sound of her release was accompanied by a tightening in her core that drove him over the edge. He buried his face in her hair and cried out right after her. _

_They lounged together in quiet appreciation of each other for a few minutes before Morgana rose from the bed and presented Lancelot with a vial of poison. _

"_Put two drops into her wine tonight, and she will not wake up tomorrow," Morgana said. _

"_There is no other way?" Lancelot asked. _

"_All other paths lead to war and more innocent deaths. I am sorry." Morgana threw her body over his and held him tight for a moment, crushing her face against his neck and breathing in his scent. She then returned to her feet and left him there. _

_His eyes still lingered on the doorway long after she had gone. His tears were from knowing that she was planning to disappear and that he would never see her again. _


	21. Chapter 20: The Beginning

Chapter 20: The Beginning

_Merlin waited until his new apprentice was asleep before retiring to his room and studying the parchment that he had found earlier that day among the belongings of his recently deceased mentor, Ambrosius. There was a crude drawing of a cup with a Latin set of instructions beneath it. The words said to turn the cup thrice clockwise to produce a potion for invincibility, but one may also turn it thrice counterclockwise for certain death. _

_He turned the parchment over, held it up to the fire, and tried a series of revealing spells on it, but there were no further instructions. There were no details about the invincibility potion, so there was no way for him to know how long it lasted. He couldn't know if there were side effects. There was no indication of what "certain death" meant. There was absolutely nothing to go on except for the cryptic set of instructions, and they did not sit well with him. He saw danger in those words. Anyone could misinterpret them and cause great damage and pain. Experimentation was a risk that he was not willing to take. _

_Feeling that the information was best forgotten, he threw the parchment into the fire. _

HG**LM

Ginny arrived at the Shrieking Shack with Lucius and Hermione in tow. She had taken their wands before they had left London and before binding their hands and ankles. This made for an awkward landing as the three of them Apparated into the shack. Hermione tripped on a loose board and pushed Ginny into a wall, which inspired Lucius to attempt to subdue her with the weight of his body before she had time to recover.

Lucius and Ginny struggled for a moment, but she was able to free her wand hand. He moved away from her as she pushed her wand into his cheek. With a wave of her wand, Ginny had them bound to chairs. She then went into a fit of screaming and destroying household objects.

Lucius understood her loss of temper. There was a large empty cage in the corner of the room. "Where is my son, Nimue? I don't see him here."

"Shut up!" she snapped.

She went to Lucius and checked all of his pockets and patted down his clothing before doing the same to Hermione.

"That's right. Don't make the same mistake twice. Make sure we don't have more wands or other weapons." Lucius drawled on haughtily with a smile.

Ginny slapped him across the face. "I said shut up!"

Once Ginny made sure that her prisoners were secured properly, she searched the small shack for Viktor. He was supposed to be there with Draco. Cursing under her breath, she disappeared into another room.

Hermione whispered, "You're going to get us killed, Lucius. Stop mocking her."

"She's not done with us yet, so she can't kill us. Now that she doesn't have Draco to torture in order to make me talk, I am trying to delay and distract her as much as possible. I don't want her to hurt you," Lucius replied.

Ginny shouted from the other room. "Stop whispering in there! I'm going to silence you when I get done in here!"

Lucius said, "I love you," and said no more.

Not used to hearing him express his feelings so bluntly, Hermione was taken by surprise, but quickly answered, "I love you, too."

Ginny emerged with the Hufflepuff Cup in her grasp. She was wearing black leather gloves. She placed it on a small table in front of Lucius and Hermione.

"Do you see this?" She held up a dirty piece of material that looked like she could have torn it from a rotten curtain. "To silence you, I'm not going to do you the courtesy of using a spell; I'm going to gag you with this if you say anything else without being asked to speak. I'd love to use it anyway, but I need you both to tell me something."

There was a commotion outside and Viktor appeared by Ginny's side. "I saw Harry Potter in the darkness. We dueled, but then I lost him. I think he's still out there."

Ginny said, "Well, then don't stand in here. Keep watch outside the door, and don't kill him . . . Bring him inside, and I will kill him."

Hermione stared after Viktor in disbelief, and Ginny said, "Yes, Miss Perfect. He's been on my side for all of these years. He went with you to the Yule Ball because I told him to . . . Now, why can't I feel any magic in this?" She pointed to the cup and looked at Lucius.

"I taught you the same as I did Morgana all those years ago. You heard all of the same history about it. There is nothing more to tell except that it ruins lives, and I don't want to touch it." Lucius looked away from her and said no more.

Ginny thought about his last statement. "Why don't you want to touch it?"

"Have you not been listening? I want nothing to do with its power. I've tried to keep it hidden. After the war, it was practically thrown into obscurity within the Department of Mysteries. I had hoped that it would stay there for another thousand years," Lucius said.

Ginny looked into his eyes and studied him as he spoke. "I think you're telling the truth, so guess what? I'm going to make you touch it. I want to see what happens."

"Surely you aren't mad enough to put a weapon into the hands of your enemies? You must be getting desperate," Hermione said.

"_Crucio!_" Ginny shouted the curse. Hermione was completely unprepared for it and screamed in agony.

"Stop! We can't help you if drive us mad from pain," Lucius said. He looked away from Hermione because he couldn't stand to see her suffer.

Ginny laughed, and spoke to Hermione. "It's not that kind of weapon. It won't explode, you fool, and you know that. How many times did we witness its greatness in Avalon?"

She paused. "Unless you do know something more that you aren't telling . . . I'm not going to take chances, or give you time to reap any benefits . . . I will have my wand pushed into your scalp, and if I see any sudden movements, you're dead."

She approached Lucius first.

As she handed him the cup, he thought back to a piece of parchment that he had once read and destroyed. There would be no harm in trying to conjure the potion. He knew that he could drink it before she could utter the Killing Curse. He'd be invincible for at least long enough to finally defeat her. He turned it thrice in hand clockwise, but nothing happened.

Ginny snatched it from his hand. "Why did you do that?"

"Why did I do what?" Lucius asked.

"You turned it three times," Ginny said.

"I was simply trying to sense something from it. I have no idea exactly how many times I turned it." Lucius winced as she bound his hands tightly.

Ginny shoved the cup into Hermione's free hand. "Turn it three times now!"

As she started to turn counterclockwise, Lucius exclaimed, "Stop!"

Ginny snatched the cup from Hermione, placed it on the table at a safe distance, gagged Lucius with the putrid cloth, and retrieved the cup again. Handing it to Hermione, she said, "Turn it three times!"

A tingling sensation started in each of Hermione's fingertips. Warmth followed the tingling, and the five points of warmth traveled down her fingers and converged in her palm. She knew something was going to happen, so she took a breath and tried to clear her mind. She didn't want to make a mistake now. She turned the golden stem three times counterclockwise and a liquid appeared in the chalice.

She recognized the color and the smell of oleander instantly. It was the same poison that she had given Lancelot with which to kill Guinevere.

Lucius was scared. He couldn't warn Hermione, or say anything at all.

Viktor stumbled into the room at that moment with his wand at Harry's back.

"Put him over there, and I'll kill him in a minute," Ginny said.

"Ginny? You're going to kill me? I'm your husband." Harry was frantic.

She sneered. "You are also the master of the Elder Wand, and that fact is more important than our marriage to me."

Hermione knew what she had to do with Ginny's momentary distraction. She raised the cup to her lips as if she meant to drink, keeping an eye on Ginny as she did so.

Ginny looked back at Hermione just in time to catch her trying to drink. She dug the wand into Hermione's scalp and placed her other hand over the top of the cup. "Give it to me, bitch! How dare you try to drink while my back was turned?" Ginny brought the cup to her nose and smelled the contents. "It smells lovely. Too bad I'm drinking it instead of you."

Ginny drank the poison and started choking. The sound of the golden goblet hitting the floor reverberated throughout the shack as everything else went silent. For a few seconds, all anyone could do was stare at Ginny's still form on the floor. Her face was frozen in a grotesque display with her eyes and mouth wide.

Viktor then attempted to run to her, but fell to his knees where he stood.

Everyone's attention turned from Ginny to Viktor at the sound of a blade piercing his flesh and the gurgling sound of blood escaping his mouth. Draco stood behind Viktor. Both of his hands were on the Sword of Gryffindor, and it was buried to the hilt into Viktor's back.

"See that, Potter? The sword works perfect for me," Draco said.

"I think this is the first time I've ever been happy to see you, Malfoy. I'm glad we decided to split up." Harry reclaimed his wand from Viktor's body and immediately went to Ginny.

Draco untied Hermione and Lucius.

Lucius embraced Hermione. "I was so afraid that you would drink the poison."

"I knew it was poison. I'd encountered that recipe before . . . It felt as if the Grail knew that I would know, but I wonder why it didn't work for you?" Hermione asked.

Lucius shook his head. "I turned it clockwise, which is supposed to make a potion of invincibility. I was going to drink it myself."

Hermione smiled sadly. "Perhaps you have too much evil in you to receive something like that."

He held her tighter. "Perhaps you are right. One thing is certain; everything is as it should be. Our struggle is finally over. I can't wait to grow old with you in peace."

"You're already old, Father, and you are going to explain this entire convoluted situation to me as soon as I can get you home," Draco quipped. He looked at Harry holding Ginny on the floor. "Are you alright, Potter?"

Hermione broke away from Lucius and went to Harry. He said, "I'm very far from alright."

Hermione put her arm around him and tried to console him. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry let go of Ginny and clung to Hermione. He sobbed deep. "I thought it was over with Voldemort's death. Why do I keep losing so much?"

"Greatness comes at a price," Hermione answered. She stroked his hair and continued to hold him. You'll be happy soon, Harry. It's all over now. I promise.

He looked at her with red eyes. "I never asked for greatness. I didn't even want to be Minister for Magic. Everyone else wanted it for me."

"They wanted it for you because you are a good man."

Draco sent a Patronus to Andromeda, and Aurors and other Ministry witches and wizards began arriving to preserve evidence and remove the bodies of the deceased.

Hermione stood in the middle of the scene and watched her loved ones. She overheard Harry give the order for the Shrieking Shack to be demolished and wondered why no one had thought of that years ago. She saw Andromeda smiling at Lucius because she was thankful that he wasn't hurt. She felt joy at noticing that Lucius' hand was resting protectively on Draco's shoulder. Luna Lovegood, Morgana and Merlin's own ancestor, arrived and Harry went straight to her for comfort. Everything was finally set right in her world, and she was ready to begin the rest of her life with the man she loved—the man she had been waiting to find for a millennium.


End file.
